Chandigarh, March 2: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday marked the one-year completion of the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign, asserting that the initiative has successfully dismantled entrenched drug networks across the state. During a statement in Chandigarh, the Chief Minister stated that the mission has evolved into a mass movement, moving beyond traditional policing to secure the proactive support of the public.
Mann declared that the campaign has effectively broken the “backbone” of the narcotics trade by targeting high-level traffickers who he stated were previously protected by former administrations. “The Punjab Government has broken the backbone of the drug trade by snapping the pipeline of drugs and putting the big fishes involved in this heinous crime behind the bars,” the Chief Minister affirmed. He maintained that unlike previous regimes, his government has prioritized the lives of the youth over political patronage.
Statistical data from March 2025 to February 2026 indicates that the crackdown resulted in the registration of 36,178 FIRs and the arrest of 51,648 individuals. Enforcement agencies seized 2,277 kg of heroin and nearly 5 million intoxicant tablets during this period. Mann also noted that authorities recovered ₹16.70 crore in drug money and confiscated or demolished properties belonging to smugglers.
The Chief Minister affirmed that the state’s conviction rate under the NDPS Act rose to 88% in 2025, which he stated is a result of robust case preparation and forensic support. He maintained that the relentless fight to protect the younger generation will continue without pause, ensuring a drug-free future for the state.
