As the anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashian De Virudh,” launched under the directives of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, entered its 36th day, Punjab Police on Saturday arrested 71 drug peddlers and seized 1.5 kg of heroin, 500 grams of opium, and ₹6020 in drug-related cash. This brings the total number of drug smugglers arrested to 4,990 in just over a month.
The large-scale operation was carried out across all 28 police districts of Punjab under the instructions of Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.
In line with the Chief Minister’s vision of a drug-free Punjab, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has directed senior officials including Police Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and SSPs to intensify their efforts. Additionally, the state government has formed a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, to oversee the anti-drug mission.
Providing further details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla revealed that over 200 police teams, consisting of more than 1,200 personnel and supervised by 83 gazetted officers, carried out raids at 429 locations across the state. These efforts resulted in the registration of 48 FIRs, and police also questioned 460 individuals suspected of involvement in drug-related activities.
He also mentioned that the Punjab Government is implementing a three-pronged strategy focusing on Enforcement, De-addiction, and Prevention (EDP). As part of the de-addiction initiative, police successfully persuaded one individual to begin rehabilitation treatment.