Chandigarh, April 21: A comprehensive enforcement drive titled “Gangstran Te Vaar” has led to the arrest or detention of nearly 50,000 individuals in Punjab over the last 90 days. The operation, executed under the leadership of DGP Gaurav Yadav, aims to break the backbone of organized crime by targeting ground operatives and their international handlers.
Since the campaign began, police have carried out more than 62,000 raids, leading to the arrest of 22,605 people and the preventive detention of over 10,000 others. The initiative has effectively neutralized various criminal hubs, resulting in the recovery of 408 firearms and significant quantities of ammunition.
“Within three months, the operation has achieved massive success. Not only gangsters, but even those supporting them are now wary of the consequences,” declared ADGP Promod Ban. He noted that the scale of police involvement reflects the government’s resolve to make the state crime-free.
The operation has also yielded a major haul of narcotics and illicit goods, including 301 kg of opium and 24,520 litres of illicit liquor. Authorities recovered 4,229 mobile phones and 815 vehicles used by criminal networks to coordinate their activities.
Promod Ban declared that the networks and funding of these gangs have been significantly disrupted. He maintained that the police now possess the necessary data and technological tools to ensure that organized crime has no place in the state’s future. To further assist in the drive, the government has operationalized a dedicated helpline to encourage citizens to provide credible information regarding criminal activity.
