Punjab govt conducts vehicle-checking operation to crack down on drug peddling

A special vehicle-checking operation was conducted by Punjab Police on Saturday to crack down on anti-social elements and drug peddling. The drive consisted of 10,000 police personnel deployed across the state to check the movement of anti-social elements.

The operation was carried out in a synchronised manner from 4 pm to 7 pm across the state while senior officers in the rank of additional director general of police and inspector general of police were deputed in each district to personally supervise it, a police statement said.

The Punjab government has set up over 800 well-coordinated 'nakas', including 56 inter-state, 250 inter-district, and 427 city sealing, involving over 10,000 police personnel in the state with an aim to make Punjab free from drugs and gangsters, the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav told PTI.

All district police heads have been asked to mobilise a maximum number of officers and manpower for the operation to lay strong 'nakas' at district and city-sealing points. “We had strictly instructed all the police personnel to deal with every commuter in a friendly and polite manner while checking their vehicles during the course of this operation," the DGP said.

The Punjab government had warned the anti-social elements to voluntarily leave the state else face action from the Punjab Police. “Such operations would continue till the menace of drugs and gangsters is wiped out from Punjab," he said.

Such operations are part of basic policing which includes keeping vigil in vulnerable spots and advance preparation to tackle any untoward situation, Yadav said.

(with inputs from PTI)