Backing the state government’s anti-drug initiative, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, more than 3,000 panchayats across Punjab have passed resolutions supporting the Punjab Police’s determined efforts to eradicate drug abuse. This marks a crucial milestone in the fight against drugs, transforming the campaign into a widespread people’s movement.
Launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the campaign has gained momentum as villages and towns actively participate in the initiative to create a drug-free Punjab.
As part of the crackdown on drug smugglers and peddlers, Punjab Police, led by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, has also initiated a dedicated awareness campaign to strengthen public engagement in combating this serious issue.
Providing details, Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla stated that under this initiative, Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police (CPs/SSPs) have been instructed to organize awareness programs such as SAMPARK meetings and student interactions to involve youth, NGOs, and community groups in the fight against drugs.
Since the campaign’s launch, 3,022 panchayats have pledged to combat drug abuse, support rehabilitation, and enhance police-community collaboration to eliminate drugs from society.
The widespread public backing has further reinforced Punjab Police’s enforcement efforts, leading to intensified raids across the state. On Thursday alone, 97 drug smugglers were arrested, and authorities seized 1.5 kg of heroin, 100 grams of opium, 2 kg of ganja, and ₹1.86 lakh in drug money. In the past 20 days, 2,463 individuals have been arrested as part of the intensified crackdown on drug networks.
Special DGP Arpit Shukla revealed that over 200 police teams, comprising more than 1,300 personnel under the supervision of 84 gazetted officers, conducted raids at 440 locations across Punjab. These efforts resulted in the registration of 58 FIRs and checks on 478 suspicious individuals.
The Punjab government has adopted a three-pronged strategy—Enforcement, De-addiction, and Prevention (EDP)—to eliminate drugs from the state. As part of the de-addiction initiative, police have convinced seven individuals to undergo rehabilitation, while 103 awareness events have been conducted under the prevention strategy.
Meanwhile, Punjab Police have also conducted search operations in jails across six districts—Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, Jalandhar Rural, Jalandhar Commissionerate, Kapurthala, and Rupnagar—to curb illegal activities. Police teams thoroughly searched jail premises, including barracks, kitchens, and toilets, to ensure compliance with security measures, said Special DGP Arpit Shukla.