CHANDIGARH, APRIL 11 — The Punjab government has officially authorized a structured reward policy aimed at dismantling gangster networks through enhanced public cooperation. Under the new guidelines, individuals providing credible leads on the state’s most wanted criminals can receive financial rewards, with senior police officials now empowered to sanction payments ranging from ₹1 lakh to over ₹2 lakh.
The initiative, part of the broader “Gangstran te Vaar” campaign, delegates specific financial powers across the police hierarchy. Senior Superintendents of Police are authorized to approve rewards up to ₹1 lakh, while Commissioners and Range DIGs can sanction up to ₹1.5 lakh. Special and Additional Directors General of Police have been granted authority for amounts up to ₹2 lakh, with larger sums requiring the personal approval of the Director General of Police.
“The aim is to close all doors for criminals and gangsters working in the state, and the Punjab government aims to go to any extent for achieving this aim,” affirmed Pramod Ban, ADGP of the Anti-Gangster Task Force. He stated that the identity of all informants would remain strictly confidential to ensure their safety and encourage wider participation in the program.
The state has also released a list of 28 most wanted individuals as part of this offensive. Officials noted that the reward amounts would be determined on a case-by-case basis, factoring in the severity of the offenses and the quality of the information provided. Since the launch of the current anti-crime campaign, the Punjab Police have conducted over 56,000 raids and arrested nearly 20,000 individuals, signaling a sustained effort to neutralize organized crime groups.
