The North News
Chandigarh, May 24
Punjab’s relentless crackdown on the drug trade, now in its 83rd day under the campaign Yudh Nashian De Virudh (War Against Drugs), led to the arrest of 161 alleged drug smugglers on Friday, state police officials said. The operations, carried out simultaneously across all 28 police districts, resulted in the seizure of 6.2kg of heroin and ₹76,270 in suspected drug money. The total number of arrests under the anti-narcotics drive has now climbed to 12,958 since the campaign launched earlier this year, reflecting what the police call “an unprecedented pace” of enforcement.
The day-long operation was ordered by Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav and saw the deployment of more than 200 police teams — comprising over 1,500 personnel and 90 gazetted officers — under the direct supervision of senior law enforcement officials.
Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla said police conducted coordinated raids at 473 locations across the state, registering 118 FIRs and interrogating over 500 individuals. “The enforcement drive continues to be backed by strategic oversight and accountability,” he said, adding that 526 suspicious persons were questioned as part of Friday’s action.
The operation is being steered at the political level by a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, headed by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has instructed Commissioners of Police and district leadership to prioritise the state’s goal of becoming drug-free.
But the government’s strategy is not limited to policing. Described as a three-pronged approach — Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP) — the campaign aims to combine law enforcement with rehabilitation and awareness. As part of the ‘de-addiction’ component, police on Friday persuaded 80 individuals to begin treatment and rehabilitation.
The Mann government has repeatedly vowed to cleanse Punjab of the drug epidemic that has plagued the region for years, with efforts now shifting towards a more data-driven and integrated approach involving social outreach and sustained surveillance.
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