— DGP GAURAV YADAV ANNOUNCES SEGREGATION OF BIG DRUG SUPPLIERS FROM THE DRUG USERS, WITH ACTION AGAINST TRAFFICKERS, WHILE MOTIVATING USERS TO UNDERGO DE-ADDICTION TREATMENT
— DGP PUNJAB CHAIRS STATE LEVEL REVIEW MEETING WITH SENIOR FIELD OFFICERS IN JALANDHAR
— PUNJAB POLICE’S MAJOR THRUST IS TO FURTHER POPULARISE THE SAFE PUNJAB CHATBOT 9779100200 TO ACT ON PUBLIC INFORMATION: DGP GAURAV YADAV
— 15,495 DRUG SMUGGLERS HELD SINCE MARCH 1, 2025; 607KG HEROIN, 249KG OPIUM, ₹10.8CR DRUG MONEY SEIZED
CHANDIGARH/JALANDHAR, June 4:
Following the resounding success achieved in the first three months of intensive anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government leading to the arrest of over 15,000 drug smugglers, Punjab Police has prepared a roadmap for complete eradication of drugs from the state, announced Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Wednesday.
He said that to achieve this objective a two-pronged strategy is being adopted to further dismantle the narcotics network by segregating big drug suppliers/peddlers from the drug users, with stringent legal action against traffickers, while motivating users to undergo de-addiction treatment. “Our aim is to choke the supply chain by isolating and punishing the actual drug dealers, while offering a compassionate path to recovery for drug users,” said DGP Gaurav Yadav, emphasising a balanced approach of zero tolerance against dealers and rehabilitation for victims of addiction.
The DGP was chairing a state-level meeting to review the performance of the districts in the ongoing Yudh Nashian Virudh, Law & Order situation of the state and Internal Security situation at the PAP Complex Jalandhar. The DGP was accompanied by Special DGP Internal Security RN Dhoke, Special DGP Anti-Narcotics Force (ANTF) Kuldeep Singh, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla, ADGP ANTF Nilabh Kishore and IGP Headquaters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill. All Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), Commissioners of Police (CPs), and Range IGs/DIGs in Punjab were also present in the meeting.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that Punjab Police has also been shifting its focus from list based enforcements to information based enforcement by taking swift action on the tips being received on the Safe Punjab Chatbot. “Our major thrust is to further popularise the Safe Punjab Chatbot so that action can be taken at point-of-sale of drugs using information from the public,” he said, while exhorting people to report drug-related information confidentially at Safe Punjab Chatbot: 9779100200.
He also highlighted the humane aspect of their strategy, noting that 1,121 drug users caught with small quantities have been sent for rehabilitation under the provision of Section 64-A of NDPS Act instead of being treated as criminals. Additionally, police have facilitated treatment for 5,786 addicts at de-addiction centers and convinced 6,483 others to avail services at OOAT clinics.
Sharing outcome of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, the DGP said that Punjab Police has registered 9087 FIRs and arrested 15,495 drug smugglers since March 1, 2025, and recovered 607 kg heroin, 249 kg opium, 14 ton poppy husk, 9 kg charas, 263 kg ganja, 2.5 kg ICE, 1.6 kg cocaine, 26.35 lakh intoxicant pills/tablets and Rs 10.83 crores drug money from their possession. Additionally, illegally acquired properties of 144 drug smugglers worth 74.27 Crores has been freezed, he added.
He said that Punjab Police is also exploring the use of GPS anklets to track and monitor activities of big drug smugglers released on bail, said the DGP, while stating, “We are examining the proposal from legal point of view to track the movement and monitor activities of bailed out big smugglers through GPS anklets with the approval of competent Court,” he said.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that Punjab Police has also been developing an AI-powered hierarchical database to map arrested persons under NDPS Act with backward and forward linkages to be traced upto two levels in each arrest.
Meanwhile, ADGP ANTF Nilabh Kishore gave a comprehensive presentation, followed by district-level updates by respective CPs/SSPs during the meeting.
