CHANDIGARH, May 20:
With the Punjab Government adopted compassionate approach towards drug addicts amidst the ongoing anti-drugs campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police has convinced as many as 7673 persons with substance use disorder to undergo de-addiction treatment since the launch of the campaign on March 1, 2025.
Pertinently, the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, De-addiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state. Since the launch of the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, Punjab Police under the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav has been cracking down on drug smugglers and peddlers, while also encouraging substance users to undergo de-addiction treatment.
Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that since the launch of Yudh Nashian Virudh, Police teams have got admitted 4228 substance users at the different De-Addiction Centres, while, 3445 individuals struggling with addiction have been taken to the Out-Patient Opiad Assisted Treatment (OOAT) Centres.
He said that Punjab Government has ramped up the de-addiction treatment facilities across the state to accommodate the victims of substance use.
Meanwhile, Police teams have continued its cordon and search operation (CASO) against drugs on Day 80, and conducted raids at 475 locations on Tuesday leading to the arrest of 125 drug smugglers after registration of 84 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 12275 within 80 days.
The Special DGP said that the raids have resulted in recovery of 7.6 kg heroin, 2 kg opium and Rs 11.84 lakh drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers. Over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1400 police personnel, under the supervision of 95 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state and checked as many as 516 suspicious persons during the day long operation, he added.
