Punjab Police on Saturday carried out special cordon-and-search operations, aiming to check the movement of “anti-social elements'' or anyone carrying illegal weapons or drugs in all 28 police districts of the state.
Several senior officers including the additional director general of police, inspector general, and deputy inspector general were engaged in the operations which were carried out across districts of the state including Amritsar, Patiala, and Mohali.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav himself led one such operation which was carried out in a housing society in Mohali's Kharar area. The operation was conducted from 11am to 3pm simultaneously across the state and ADGP/IGP rank officers from Punjab Police Headquarters were deputed in each Police district to personally supervise the operation.
Yadav, who had joined ADGP Law and Order Ishwar Singh in Mohali to conduct operation in different societies here, said that such operations would continue till the menace of drugs and Gangsters rooted out from Punjab. DIG Ropar Range Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and SSP SAS Nagar Vivek Sheel Soni also accompanied the DGP on the spot.
"Since, we have tightened the noose around drug smugglers and gangsters, I would warn such anti-social elements to voluntarily leave the state otherwise the Punjab Police will deal them with a heavy hand," the DGP said.
Interacting with the media on the sidelines of the operation, the DGP said that the topmost priority of the Punjab Government is to further strengthen the fight against drugs to make Punjab a drug-free state besides eliminating gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime. He said that basic policing which includes keeping vigil in vulnerable spots and advance preparation to tackle any untoward situation would be revived and Police Stations will be upgraded.
Answering a query on harassment of residents with this operation, he said that the operation is being conducted for residents' safety and security and Residents Welfare Societies were also taken into confidence before conducting this operation. "We have strictly instructed all the Police Personnel to deal with every resident in a friendly and polite manner while conducting door-to-door checking during the course of this operation," said Yadav, while adding that Residents have appreciated this effort of the Punjab Police.