Lok Sabha elections 2019: Police to stop drug smuggling along border ahead of polls
The police said they have been keeping a vigil on all illegal activities taking place across the city ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May 12 in the state.
Police commissioner Muhammad Akil has constituted 20 special teams, each comprising 60 police personnel, to crack down on drug smuggling on the city border areas. The police said they have been keeping a vigil on all illegal activities taking place across the city ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May 12 in the state.
Police commissioner Muhammad Akil has constituted 20 special teams, each comprising 60 police personnel, to crack down on drug smuggling on the city border areas. (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)
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Akil said since the model code of conduct came into force on March 10, they have seized more than 260 kilograms of drugs and arrested more than 25 people involved in drug peddling. “Our teams are deployed at 11 border areas and are checking suspected vehicles. We have also deployed officials from crime the branch in civilian dress to check drug smuggling and to keep a vigil on illegal activities taking place across the city,” he said.
The police said crime teams have recovered more than 160kg of cannabis, 75kg of hashish, seven kilogram of heroin and more than 50kg of sulfa from 25 people who had plans to supply these drugs in the city. All of them were arrested at night, the police said.
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The move also comes as a measure to strengthen night patrolling.
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The move also comes as a measure to strengthen night patrolling.
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Akil said he has prepared a strategy for increasing visibility of police in the city and said that by making night patrolling more effective, the police wanted to send a stern message to “anti-social” elements who were committing crimes at such hours. “We are also analysing crime data to find trends in different areas, so that the force cam be increased as per requirements. We are scanning footage from CCTV cameras installed in many areas in the city to monitor any suspicious activity around the clock,” Akil said.
The city shares borders with Delhi and Rajasthan. Quick response teams have also been deployed in several parts of the city.
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The police said barricades have been set up at 49 operational checkpoints across the city to check the supply of illicit liquor, the movement of cash in vehicles, as well as the supply of drugs.
On April 17, a coordination meeting between senior police officials from Delhi and Haryana was held in the city to discuss security measures ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The city police had shared with their counterparts a list of most-wanted criminals, proclaimed offenders and bail jumpers who have been evading arrest in over 2,000 cases.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
