Chandigarh, Feb 9:Punjab has entered a state of heightened security as the second phase of ‘Operation Prahar’ kicked off with 2,760 simultaneous raids across the state. Under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Police initiated a 72-hour intensive drive to nab wanted criminals and disrupt the support networks of gangsters operating both locally and from foreign soil.
DGP Gaurav Yadav, accompanied by senior officials including Special DGP Arpit Shukla and Intelligence Chief Dr. Sukhchain Singh Gill, briefed the media on the scale of the operation. He mentioned that the state government has initiated legal processes to extradite several gangsters currently hiding abroad. He noted that the new phase involves a specific focus on 60 identified overseas-based criminals and their local accomplices.
“The objective is clear: to make Punjab completely free of gangster activities by breaking their network at every level,” the DGP directly said. He mentioned that the police have already conducted thousands of raids over the past 20 days, leading to over 5,290 arrests and the recovery of 128 weapons, and this new phase will further tighten the noose around criminal elements.
On the first day of the current phase, 1,250 arrests were made as teams targeted specific hotspots identified through intelligence mapping. Special DGP Arpit Shukla mentioned that senior officials from the headquarters have been stationed in various districts to lead the operations on the ground. He noted that the police are also auditing manpower to move officers from non-core duties to active field assignments and 24-hour high-tech checkpoints.
“Police teams have arrested 5,290 individuals including gangsters and criminals associated with them and recovered 128 weapons after conducting 17,603 raids,” the DGP noted while reflecting on the broader campaign. He mentioned that the force is also intensifying checks on vehicles without registration plates, which are frequently used in criminal activities.
The department continues to promote the Anti-Gangster Helpline as a vital tool for community-led policing. Officials mentioned that the anonymous sharing of tips has already led to several successful interventions. They noted that the ongoing ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign is being conducted alongside the anti-drug drive ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ to ensure a comprehensive cleanup of the state’s security environment.
