IEP CHANDIGARH, July 25
Further intensifying the ongoing campaign to make Punjab a crime-free and drug-free state as per the vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police in a joint operation with Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday continued its special Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) focused on drug trafficking, anti-social elements and criminals for the second day. Today’s CASO was conducted in the Ferozepur Range on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav. The development came a day after the Punjab Police made 41 arrests after registering 33 FIRs and recovering drug money and narcotics from their possession during a CASO in Bathinda range. The operation was conducted from 1 pm to 5 pm simultaneously in both the police districts of Ferozepur range including Ferozepur and Fazilka, and SSPs were asked to plan this operation in a meticulous manner amid massive deployment of the Police Force. The operation was conducted under the overall supervision of ADGP Law and Order Gurinder Singh Dhillon and DIG Ferozepur Range Ranjit Singh Dhillon. Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that the Police teams have arrested 19 anti-social elements after registering 15 first information reports (FIRs) during the operation. The Police teams have also recovered Rs 13.96 lakh of drug money, 320 grams of heroin and a huge quantity of Lahan (Raw material used to make liquor) from their possession, besides, impounding 27 vehicles of suspected persons. He said that the strong force of 1300+ Police personnel carried out CASO in over 62 drug hotspots identified in both the districts. Apart from arresting anti-social elements, Police teams have also rounded up around 50 suspicious persons for questioning, he said. The Special DGP said that the intent to carry out such operations was to instil a sense of safety and security among the common people and increase the presence of the Police force in the field to infuse fear among the anti-social elements. Such operations will continue in the coming days to completely root out the menace of drugs from the state, he added.
