Punjab’s anti-drug drive has rattled ISI, says DGP
Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Monday said the state will not allow anyone to disturb peace and harmony in the state. He said the ongoing anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashian Virudh” has rattled Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
CHANDIGARH : Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Monday said the state will not allow anyone to disturb peace and harmony in the state. He said the ongoing anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashian Virudh” has rattled Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
“Intelligence inputs have also indicated that the campaign’s success has rattled Pakistan’s ISI, which is now devising strategies to destabilise the border state of Punjab to disrupt this ongoing drive against drugs,” said the DGP, citing that the key accused involved in the attack at Thakur Dwara Mandir in Amritsar was neutralised in a retaliatory fire by police teams in Amritsar.
Addressing the media after a high-level meeting with top officials, including special DGPs, additional director generals of police (ADGPs) and inspector generals of police (IGPs), the DGP revealed that the decisive campaign against drugs has forced drug couriers and smugglers to retreat, with many refusing to pick up consignments dropped by Pakistan-based operatives, which led to sharp decline in supply of heroin from across the border.
“The impact of ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ is undeniable. Our intelligence confirms that drug couriers are now hesitant to collect heroin packets dropped by Pakistani smugglers, signalling a major disruption in the supply chain,” he said.
Yadav said under this campaign, Punjab Police have been targeting actual street drug peddler and smugglers, while drug victims are not being harassed unnecessarily and are being admitted to de-addiction centres for treatment.
He also lauded the efforts of cabinet sub-committee for bringing together all the departments to eradicate this drug menace from the state. The Punjab government has constituted a five-member cabinet sub-committee led by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’.
The DGP said that all officers in the field — from commissioners of police and senior superintendents of police (CPs/SSPs) to station house officers (SHOs)— are being given quantifiable targets. Their effectiveness will be assessed based on the targets and parameters they were given to ensure results-driven approach to the anti-drug campaign, he added.
‘2,575 drug smugglers arrested in 17 days’
Sharing outcomes of the 17 days of ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, the DGP said that Punjab Police arrested 2,575 drug smugglers after registering of 1,651 first information reports (FIRs) since March 1. During this drive, police teams have recovered 95kg heroin, 52kg opium, 1,129kg poppy husk, 13.79kg Ganja, 7.25 lakh intoxicating tablets, 1kg ICE, 1.37kg cocaine and ₹64 lakh drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.
He said the newly launched “Safe Punjab Anti-Drug Helpline 9779100200, which allows citizens to report drug traffickers anonymously, has gained popularity among the general public.