— 590 inputs received on helpline since Jan 21; leads to registration of 63 FIRs: DIG AGTF Gurmeet Singh Chauhan
— 643 social media pages glorifying weapons blocked; DIG urges parents to keep vigil on children’s online activities
— Public urged not to facilitate UPI transactions or pick up unidentified packages for elements sitting abroad
— Confidentiality of informants to be maintained; people can report any suspicious or anti-social activity anonymously
— 2868 Gangsters/Criminals held in Punjab since April 2022; 2273 Weapons Recovered
CHANDIGARH, March 27:
Following the vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to make Punjab a gangster-free state, the “Gangstran Te Vaar” campaign has achieved significant milestones through the Anti-Gangster Helpline 93946-93946, which has seen an overwhelming response from the general public since its launch on January 21, 2026.
Sharing the success of the initiative, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan today informed that a total of 590 inputs have been received on the dedicated helpline. Out of these, 83 were related to drugs, 35 to extortion, 43 regarding gangsters, 86 concerning illegal weapons, 74 related to personal enmity, 13 for robbery/theft, 11 regarding Proclaimed Offenders (POs)/Absconders, and two related to immigration fraud, while 97 were categorised as others.
“The proactive participation of the citizens has been instrumental. These tips led to the registration of 63 FIRs and the arrest of 26 individuals, including 21 preventive detentions,” said DIG Gurmeet Chauhan, while citing successful instances where public cooperation helped apprehend criminals involved in heinous crimes.
Urging the public to make maximum use of the helpline, the DIG asked citizens to act as the “eyes and ears” of the police. “Not only extortions, but people can report any suspicious gangster, criminal, or anti-social activities using this number. I want to assure the public that complete confidentiality will be maintained,” he added.
DIG Gurmeet Chauhan also sounded a note of caution against anti-social elements sitting abroad who lure innocent youth with meagre amounts of money to commit crimes. He strictly advised the public against facilitating financial transactions via UPI or other digital sources for unknown persons. Furthermore, he warned against picking or dropping packages from unidentified locations, noting that criminals abroad are using “dead letter boxes” to deliver weapon consignments for illegal activities.
Highlighting the crackdown on the digital ecosystem of crime, the DIG revealed that the AGTF is launching a special campaign to monitor mischievous activities on social media. “We have already got 643 pages blocked across various social media platforms for glorifying weapons or criminal activities. I appeal to parents to remain vigilant about their children’s activities to ensure they are not misled,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention that the Punjab Police has already identified 61 foreign-based gangsters operating from abroad. To expedite their extradition, an Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) has been established to ensure these criminals are brought back to face the law.
The Anti-Gangster Helpline number, 93946-93946, remains operational for citizens to anonymously share information about wanted criminals and provide vital leads to curb crime in the state.
Sharing the achievements of AGTF, DIG Gurmeet Chauhan said that Punjab Police has busted 1,111 gangsters/criminals modules and arrested 2,868 gangsters across the state since April 2022, and recovered 2273 weapons, 656 vehicles used in criminal activities from their possession. Notably, Punjab government had formed the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Promod Ban to effectively combat gangster culture from the state.
BOX: ACTION BY AGTF (APRIL 6, 2022 TO MARCH 26, 2026)
MODULES BUSTED: 1111
GANGSTERS/CRIMINALS ARRESTED: 2868
WEAPONS RECOVERED: 2273
VEHICLES RECOVERED: 656
