Kochi: It reads like a punchline from a mass-masala action movie, the kind of dialogue that usually precedes a slow-motion fight scene. Erected at the entrance of Bengali Colony in Kandathara in Ernakulam’s Perumbavoor, the flex board issues a warning that is rhythmic, raw, and unmistakably violent: “Kanjavu, Marunnu, Pennu Ennivakkayi Ingot Vannal… Thallum, Thallum, Thallum.

The translation leaves no room for ambiguity: “If you come here for weed, drugs, or women, you will get beaten... beaten... beaten.”

While the internet has turned the board into a viral meme, chuckling at its ferocity, the story behind it is devoid of humour. This is not a movie set. It is the desperate last stand of a community under siege, a neighbourhood where residents have been forced to become their own police force because the real one has allegedly failed them.

The sign guards the entry to an area known locally as “Bhai Colony” or “Bengali Colony”. Straddling the borders of the Vengola and Vazhakulam panchayats, it houses one of the highest densities of migrant workers in Kerala. While the majority are there to earn an honest living, locals say the enclave has mutated into a “Mini-Bengal”, a fortress where a sophisticated criminal syndicate operates with impunity.

The colony has become an open supermarket for all sorts of anti-social activity. The inventory is extensive: ganja, heroin, synthetic drugs, and prostitution. The reputation of this illicit bazaar has spread far beyond Perumbavoor. Malayalis from distant districts now drive into these narrow lanes, not to hire labour, but to buy drugs.

The board appeared because the residents of Kandathara are finally fed up. For years, they watched police and excise patrols make arrests and seizures, yet the trade only grew stronger.

Two weeks ago, a civil police officer named Subeer, attached to the Kalady station, was suspended. The reason? A staggering 9.5 kilograms of ganja was seized from a building registered in his mother's name. While the tenants were migrant workers, Subeer was flagged for a suspicious “lack of vigilance”.

But the community believes the rot goes deeper. In September, Excise officials raided another house in the colony, arresting a woman named Saleena and seizing heroin along with a currency-counting machine, a tool that hints at a massive volume of cash flow. Locals allege Saleena was an associate of the suspended officer, fueling accusations that the drug trade has been flourishing under the tacit protection of those sworn to stop it.

Left with no other options, the residents put aside their religious and political differences to form the Lahari Virudha Samithi (Anti-Narcotic Council). Their logic was simple - if the authorities wouldn’t stop the dealers, the people would stop the customers.

The protests began physically. Residents started intercepting outsiders, chasing away those who looked like they were prowling for drugs or women. The “Thallum, Thallum, Thallum” board was the final, written ultimatum.

Arshad, a member of the Samithi, paints a grim picture of daily life behind the viral sign. “We cannot live here peacefully. Our women and children are scared to walk the roads freely because people consuming drugs are roaming everywhere. Our own youngsters are falling prey to addiction. It has to stop. We have been verbally warning those who come seeking drugs, and this board is just the next step,” Arshad told Onmanorama.

The sheer audacity of the board has forced the authorities to pay attention. VH Mohammed, Vice-President of the Vengola Panchayat, admits the situation is unique. “There is no other place in Kerala where the density of guest workers is this high. We are not against them working here, but we cannot tolerate the narcotic activities. The residents are terrified, which is why they put up the board,” Mohammed said.

The Panchayat is now demanding a dedicated police outpost from the District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural). They are collecting signatures for a mass petition to be submitted to the SP and District Collector.

Even the Excise department seems resigned to the scale of the problem. A senior officer admitted that despite frequent raids, the “constant flow of drugs from other states” continues unabated due to high demand. However, the police and excise are happy that the residents are now supporting their fight.

“We have amped up the surveillance and inspections in the area. With the local support from the residents, we hope it can bring an end to the narcotic activities in the area,” said a senior excise officer.

Meanwhile, the residents are finding support from unexpected quarters. The Anti-Narcotics Club (ANC), a national organisation, has lauded the move. Indrajith, the ANC National Committee President, said that they are planning to felicitate the residents. “The fight against drugs needs to be strengthened, and the cooperation of the public is very necessary. When people come up against such evil, it will have results,” Indrajith said.