CHANDIGARH, March 17:
With the ongoing anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has rattled Pakistan’s-ISI, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Monday categorically said that Punjab Police will not allow anyone to disturb the hard-earned peace and harmony of the state. Intelligence inputs have also indicated that the campaign’s success has rattled Pakistan’s-ISI, which is now devising strategies to destabilise the border state Punjab to disrupt this ongoing drive against drugs.
“Punjab Police will not allow Pak-ISI to destabilise the border state and will ensure exemplary punishment to anyone try to disturb the peace and harmony of the state,” said the DGP, citing that the key accused involved in the attack at Thakur Dwara Mandir in Amritsar was neutralised in a retaliatory fire by police teams in Amritsar.
While addressing the media after chairing a high-level meeting with top officials, including Special DGPs, Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGPs) and Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs), the DGP revealed that the decisive campaign against drugs has forced drug couriers and smugglers to retreat, with many refusing to pick up consignments dropped by Pakistan-based operatives, which led to sharp decline in supply of heroin from across the border.
“The impact of ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ is undeniable. Our intelligence confirms that drug couriers are now hesitant to collect heroin packets dropped by Pakistani smugglers, signalling a major disruption in the supply chain,” he said.
DGP Gaurav Yadav informed that under this campaign, Punjab Police has been targetting actual street drug peddler and smugglers, while drug victims are not being harassed unnecessarily and are being admitted to de-addiction centres for treatment. These special operations against drugs are being conducted under the supervision of Senior Police Officers of the rank of Special DGPs, ADGPs, IGPs and DIGs, who have been allotted different districts, he added.
He also lauded the efforts of cabinet sub-committee for bringing together all the departments to eradicate this drug menace from the state. Notably, the Punjab government has constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that to make this drive more effective, Punjab Police is launching a comprehensive district-level mapping initiative to ascertain the prevalence of specific drugs in each district, to accordingly implement targetted action plans to root out this menace from the state.
He said that all the officers in the field— from Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police (CPs/SSPs) to Station House Officers (SHOs)— are being given quantifiable targets. Their effectiveness will be assessed based on the targets and parameters they were given to ensure results-driven approach to the anti-drug campaign, he added.
Sharing outcomes of the 17 days of ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, the DGP said that Punjab Police arrested of 2575 drug smugglers after registering of 1651 first information reports (FIRs) across the state since March 1, 2025. During this drive, Police teams have recovered 95 kg heroin, 52 kg opium, 1129 kg poppy husk, 13.79 kg Ganja, 7.25 lakh intoxicant tablets/pills/injections, 1 kg ICE, 1.37 kg cocaine and Rs 64 lakh drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers, he said.
He said that the newly launched Safe Punjab Anti-Drug Helpline ‘9779100200’, which allows citizens to report drug traffickers anonymously, has gained popularity among the general public, with tips on the helpline has witnessed increase in recent days.
While expressing gratitude to the people of the state for supporting Punjab Police to making this drive successful, the DGP said that without the support of public this drive cannot be successful. He said that Punjab Police has been reaching out to the public by holding meetings with people and village defence committees.
DGP Gaurav Yadav informed that certain public programmes including YUVA Saanjh and Sports initiatives are being more strengthened to channelise the energy of the youth in right way.
