Punjab Police's anti-drugs drive rattled ISI, hit cross-border supply: DGP

Chandigarh, Mar 17 (PTI) The ongoing anti-drugs drive in Punjab has rattled Pakistan's spy agency ISI, which is devising new strategies to foment disturbance in the border state, DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.

He also asserted that exemplary action would be taken against those trying to disturb peace in the state.

Intelligence suggests that the anti-drugs drive has had a massive impact, forcing couriers to retreat, with many refusing to pick up consignments dropped by Pakistan-based smugglers. This has led to a sharp decline in heroin supply from across the border, according to the police chief.

It also indicates that the campaign's success has rattled Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is now devising strategies to destabilise the border state to disrupt the drive, he added.

"The Punjab Police will not allow Pakistan's ISI to destabilise the border state, and ensure exemplary punishment to anyone trying to disturb peace and harmony," said Director General of Police (DGP) Yadav.

He noted that the key accused involved in the attack at Thakur Dwara Mandir in Amritsar was neutralised in retaliatory firing by police teams.

"The impact of Yudh Nashian Virudh is undeniable. Our intelligence confirms that couriers are now hesitant to collect heroin packets dropped by Pakistani smugglers, signalling a major disruption in the supply chain," Yadav said.

Under the campaign, the Punjab Police has been targeting actual street peddlers while victims are not being harassed and are being admitted to de-addiction centres, he added.

Asked about a grenade-like object being hurled towards the residence of a YouTuber in Jalandhar, the police chief said they had recovered many clues and would shortly share details.

Questioned on the many incidents of gunfire exchange between criminals and the police, Yadav said they were working within the law. "When we are fired upon, we reply in self-defence. Bullet for bullet is not an aggressive policy but a self-defence policy." He also said their endeavour was that those involved in the 2023 Ajnala police station attack incident faced the law in Punjab.

The Punjab Police will bring back seven associates of jailed MP and radical preacher Amritpal Singh from Assam's Dibrugarh jail after the state government decided not to reinvoke the National Security Act at the end of their detention period.

Asked if Amritpal would be brought back, Yadav said, "It will depend on the evidence available. We will inform you at the right time." Yadav also lauded the efforts of the Cabinet sub-committee for bringing together all departments to eradicate the drugs menace.

The Punjab government has constituted a five-member panel led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the Yudh Nashian Virudh anti-drugs campaign.

To make the drive more effective, the Punjab Police is launching a comprehensive district-level mapping initiative to ascertain the prevalence of specific drugs in each. It will accordingly implement targeted action plans to root out the menace.

All officers in the field -- from police commissioners and senior superintendents to SHOs -- are being assigned quantifiable targets.

Their effectiveness will be assessed based on the targets and the parameters assigned to ensure a results-driven approach, Yadav said.

The DGP said the police arrested 2,575 peddlers after registering 1,651 FIRs across the state since March 1.

Police teams seized 95 kilogrammes of heroin, 52 kilogrammes of opium, 1,129 kilogrammes of poppy husk, 13.79 kilogrammes of ganja, 7.25 lakh intoxicant tablets, pills, and injections, a kilogramme of ICE, 1.37 kilogrammes of cocaine and Rs 64 lakh in drug money from the arrested accused, he added.

The newly-launched Safe Punjab Anti-Drug Helpline 9779100200, which allows citizens to anonymously report traffickers, has gained popularity among the public, Yadav said.

While expressing gratitude to the public for supporting the police to make the drive successful, the DGP said personnel were conducting outreach through meetings with people and village defence committees. PTI CHS CHS SZM SZM

Source: PTI