Special drive ahead of Punjab elections: Ludhiana police nab 278 proclaimed offenders in two months

As many as 2,982 proclaimed offenders are yet to be caught. Some of them have been on the wanted list of Ludhiana police for over four decades

The Ludhiana police commissionerate has arrested at least 278 proclaimed offenders in the last two months, as part of a special drive initiated in view of the upcoming elections. As many as 2,982 proclaimed offenders are yet to be caught.

In the drive started on November 8, 2021, all police stations, police posts, special wings and investigation wings were asked to track down the proclaimed offenders wanted by the Ludhiana police. (HT File)

In the drive started on November 8, 2021, all police stations, police posts, special wings and investigation wings were asked to track down the proclaimed offenders wanted by the Ludhiana police.

Police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar had convened a meeting with all station house officers (SHOs) and ordered them to initiate the drive.

Sub-inspector (SI) Balwinder Singh, in-charge of the proclaimed offender wing, said that out of 2,982 proclaimed offenders still on the run, 2,067 are those who skipped court hearings after availing bail, while 915 are those who were never arrested in the case. Some of the proclaimed offenders have been on the wanted list for the last four decades.

“We are keeping tabs on the fugitives who are wanted in drug peddling and liquor smuggling cases as such accused could be involved in smuggling again. We also ensure that the proclaimed offender is not able to cast their votes,” said the SI.

“Most fugitives keep changing their location to evade arrest. Some of them even change their name and appearance, but we will still hunt them down and put them behind bars,” he added.

He added that after arresting the proclaimed offenders, they hand them over to the police stations concerned.