Intensifying its crackdown on drug trafficking, Punjab Police on Sunday arrested 79 drug smugglers as part of its ongoing anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’. The coordinated statewide operation led to the recovery of 11.5 lakh intoxicant tablets and capsules, 690 grams of heroin, and Rs 4.40 lakh in drug money.
The drive, now in its 51st day, has seen the arrest of 6,822 drug peddlers in less than two months — reflecting the state government's aggressive push towards making Punjab drug-free.
Special Director General of Police (DGP), Law and Order, Arpit Shukla on Sunday informed that over 180 police teams, comprising more than 1,400 personnel and led by 85 SP or DSP-rank officers, carried out raids at 483 locations across all 28 police districts of the state. As many as 537 suspicious individuals were checked, and 52 FIRs were registered during the day-long operation.
Following Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s firm commitment to rid Punjab of drugs, a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, headed by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, has also been tasked with monitoring the campaign’s progress.
Under the state’s three-pronged EDP strategy — Enforcement, De-addiction, and Prevention — the police have also convinced seven individuals to undergo rehabilitation, reflecting a humane and reformative approach alongside strict enforcement.