State cracks down on drug smugglers with property demolitions in Amritsar and Patiala ; signaling zero tolerance under CM Bhagwant Mann’s anti-drug campaign
CHANDIGARH/PATIALA/AMRITSAR, April 29:
Continuing its action against drug mafia amidst the ongoing anti-drugs campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police with the help of local administration on Tuesday, has demolished properties of two drug smugglers in Amritsar and Patiala districts.
In Amritsar, a bulldozer was used to raze the house of a drug smuggler identified as Ranjit Singh in village Mode in Amritsar. On this occasion, Superintendent of Police (SP Investigation) Amritsar Aditya Warrier said that accused Ranjit Singh, whose house was demolished, has a criminal background with as many as 12 criminal cases including six cases under under the NDPS act have been registered against him in different districts including Amritsar and Ludhiana.
SP Warrier warned that anyone who amasses wealth through drug trafficking will either have their property seized or demolished. He reiterated that the state government is committed to eradicating the drug menace and will not spare anyone involved in this illegal trade.
Similarly, in Patiala, the District Police, in collaboration with Municipal Corporation Patiala, has demolished four commercial shops illegally constructed on residential plots without the approval from the Municipal Corporation, by the family member of drug smuggler Gurtej Singh alias Bunty family. The shops were located in Street No. 4 of Baba Deep Singh Nagar under the jurisdiction of Urban Estate Police Station.
SP City Palwinder Singh Cheema, who supervised the operation, said that accused Gurtej Singh has been facing two criminal cases under the NDPS act. The demolition was carried out following a final Demolition Notice (No. 214/BLD, dated April 11, 2025) issued by the Municipal Commissioner, he said.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Assistant Town Planners Karanjit Singh and Bikramjit Singh, with police deployed to maintain law and order. Naib Tehsildar Arman Joshan served as the Duty Magistrate.
