Launch crackdown against drug sellers, Mann to cops
Chairing a high-level meeting of the anti-drug special task force (STF) through video-conference, Mann asked the officers to work without political pressure with a focus on making Punjab a drug-free state
Chandigarh: Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday directed the Punjab Police to launch a crackdown against those involved in selling drugs and asked it to take action against politicians interfering with the anti-drug campaign.
Chairing a high-level meeting of the anti-drug special task force (STF) through video-conference, Mann asked the officers to work without political pressure with a focus on making Punjab a drug-free state.
“To my mind, some police officers might have been working earlier under certain compulsions but all officers are not alike. However, few drug peddlers might be getting political patronage in the past but now this shall not happen and all of you should work fearlessly in a direction to wipe out the slur of drugs from the state,” he said.
Emphasising the need to break the supply chain of drugs, Mann asked police officers to arrest those who are actually selling drugs not the drug addicts as these persons have already become victims of the mafia.
With this initiative, ultimately the backbone of the supply chain would be broken and Punjab would soon become a drug-free state, said Mann, adding this could not be accomplished without the wholehearted support of the police force.
The CM said his government will strive hard to run drug de-addiction centres across the state efficaciously while ensuring there is no shortage of medicines.
Appreciating the state police for combating the black phase of terrorism, the CM hoped it would wipe out the drug trade too.
Additional chief secretary to the chief minster A Venu Prasad, STF chief Harpreet Sidhu and ADGP (Intelligence) SS Srivastava were also present.