Punjab Police conducts statewide anti-drug operation, carry out 187 arrests in a day: DGP Arpit Shukla

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Punjab Police carried out a massive Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) across the state as part of its ongoing anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh', resulting in the registration of 155 cases and the arrest of 187 individuals in a single day, Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said on Thursday.

Speaking on the development, the DGP said the operation was conducted under the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and targeted identified drug hotspots across the state.

"The operation was supervised by senior officers, including ADGs, IGs, and DIGs from the headquarters, along with district SSPs and DIGs. We have recorded 155 cases today, arrested 187 individuals, and recovered a huge quantity of heroin and tablets," Shukla stated.

Highlighting the impact of the year-long campaign, he said that ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh' has been instrumental in curbing drug-related activities in Punjab.

"The campaign has been operational for the past year and has led to the registration of around 80,119 cases, with 54,190 arrests made. Additionally, more than 2,384 kilograms of heroin has been recovered so far," he added.

In a separate incident earlier on March 14, Amritsar Rural Police busted an ISI-sponsored terror and cross-border arms smuggling module, apprehending two accused and recovering rifles, pistols, and cartridges, according to the Punjab DGP.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with foreign-based handlers through social media. The module was also involved in radicalisation and spreading anti-India and anti-police narratives.

In a post on X, the Punjab Police said, "An FIR has been registered at PS Gharinda, Amritsar Rural. Further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages and dismantle the entire network. Punjab Police remains steadfast in its zero-tolerance approach against terrorism, illegal arms trafficking, and organised crime."

One AK-47 rifle with two magazines and 36 live cartridges, along with three sophisticated Glock 9mm pistols, were recovered from the alleged module.

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