Punjab's anti-drugs campaign: 875 FIRs registered, 1,188 traffickers held in 12 days

The Punjab government has registered 875 FIRs and arrested 1188 drug traffickers in the last 12 days as part of a special campaign Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on SundayThe Yudh Nashian Virudh war against drugs campaign was launched on February 25 and has yielded extraordinary results the minister assertedCheema who is the states finance minister and chairman of the antidrug campaign cabinet subcommittee underscored the Aam Aadmi Party AAP governments commitment to eradicating drugs from PunjabAccording to the minister 875 FIRs have been registered 1188 drug traffickers arrested Rs 35 lakh in drug money seized and narcotics including 68 kg of heroin 873 kg of poppy husk 42 kg of opium and over 674 lakh intoxicating tablets confiscated till March 8Additionally a widespread awareness campaign is actively mobilising citizens to contribute towards building a drugfree and prosperous Punjab he was quoted as saying in a statementCheema criticised the previous governments led by the Shiromani Akali Dal SADBJP alliance and the Congress for creating and fostering the drug epidemic in Punjab He accused these parties of pushing Punjabs youth into drugs as part of a deliberate strategyBefore 2007 Punjab had never heard of synthetic drugs like heroin or chitta It was during the SADBJP regime that these drugs entered Punjab and destroyed our youthInstead of providing jobs and opportunities they designed a system to trap Punjabs young generation into addiction Cheema allegedTaking on the previous Congress government he said Captain Amarinder Singh former Congress leader who is now with the BJP took a false oath in 2017 promising to eradicate drugs within four weeksInstead his Congress government deepened ties with drug peddlers Even during the COVID19 lockdown while basic necessities were inaccessible drug trafficking flourished under the Congress rule This is why the people of Punjab rejected them in 2022 assembly polls he saidCheema emphasised that the AAPs historic mandate in 2022 was a rejection of the SADBJP and the Congress corrupt and antipeople policiesSince assuming office Chief Minister Bhagwant Manns government has prioritised modernising the police force and strengthening law enforcement systems to ensure justice he saidCheema highlighted the stark differences in conviction rates under the NDPS Act emphasising the efficiency of the AAP government He said that while the conviction rate under AAPs tenure stands at an impressive 86 per cent it was significantly lower during the Congress regime at 58 per cent and even worse under the SADBJP government at just 40 per centCheema also pointed out that some districts have achieved conviction rates exceeding 90 per cent such as Sangrur at 93 percent Nawanshahr at 99 per cent and Ropar at 95 per centUnder the SADBJP government drug traffickers often escaped punishment due to delayed charge sheets he addedThe government has also undertaken several proactive measures to tackle the drug crisis he saidOver 1028 meetings have been conducted with students in universities and colleges to raise awareness Additionally village outreach programmes have been rapidly expanded including the formation of defense committees composed of retired officers and teachers to address drugrelated issues locallyIn a bold move the government has also taken action against drug peddlers by demolishing the homes of 22 major drug dealers he saidCheema assured that the war against drugs will not stop until every drug trafficker is either in jail or driven out of PunjabFor those who have fallen prey to addiction the government is committed to rehabilitation and mental health support he saidPunjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently chaired a highlevel meeting of senior officials as part of the state governments renewed push for its antidrugs campaign in the state setting a deadline of three months to make the state drugfreeThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever