To ensure Punjab remains a safe and secure state as per Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s vision, the Punjab Police on Thursday carried out a large-scale Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) across all 28 police districts. The operation targeted sensitive locations such as spa centres, bars, salons, betting hubs, and inns. It was conducted under the guidance of DGP Gaurav Yadav.
More than 2,500 police personnel participated in this coordinated effort, which ran from 1 PM to 5 PM. All district police heads were directed to deploy maximum manpower to ensure the operation’s success.
ADGP Human Rights and Law & Order Naresh Arora stated that the initiative focused on locations prone to illegal activities. He emphasized that all officers were instructed to interact with the public in a courteous and respectful manner during the operation.
The police inspected 87 spa centres, 24 bars, 666 salons, 25 gambling spots, and 111 inns across the state.
Simultaneously, under the ongoing anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh,’ the police conducted raids at 448 locations, resulting in the arrest of 89 drug smugglers and the registration of 71 FIRs. This brings the total number of drug-related arrests to 7,295 in the past 55 days.
These raids led to the seizure of 2.8 kg of heroin, 3.5 kg of opium, and Rs 1.08 lakh in drug-related cash.
Over 200 police teams, comprising more than 1,500 personnel and 77 senior officers, checked 498 suspicious individuals during the day-long operation.
The ADGP highlighted that the Punjab Police has implemented a detailed plan and will continue such operations until drug abuse is fully eliminated. He also mentioned that under the state’s three-pronged strategy—Enforcement, Deaddiction, and Prevention (EDP)—five individuals were persuaded to begin de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment as part of the police’s reformative approach.