AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Tuesday said that Punjab Police has formally launched the ‘Gangsters te Vaar’ campaign, marking the beginning of a decisive and large-scale war against organised crime in the state. Addressing a press conference at the party office, Pannu said this campaign reflects the strong political will of the Mann government to completely uproot gangsterism from Punjab.

Pannu said that after the successful and determined ‘War Against Drugs’, Punjab Police has now shifted focus to organised crime. He stated that under the anti-drug campaign, many major and minor smugglers were arrested, huge quantities of narcotics were seized, and both the supply chains and street-level networks were broken to a large extent. Being a border state, Punjab faces constant attempts from hostile forces across the border to push drugs, and the government responded firmly by installing anti-drone systems to stop cross-border smuggling.

He said that the ‘Gangsters te Vaar’ campaign has been launched at a war footing after deep planning and assessment, and it is one of the biggest and most serious crackdowns against gangsterism anywhere in the country. From Tuesday morning itself, multiple raids were conducted across the state by coordinated police teams, yielding initial results, with more significant outcomes expected within the next 72 hours.

Baltej Pannu said the word “gangster” entered Punjab’s vocabulary only about 15-18 years ago. Earlier, small criminals were simply known as ‘badmash’. He said that between 2007 and 2017, gangsterism was deliberately promoted, young boys were pushed into this culture, and incidents of extreme violence peaked during that period. He cited several grave incidents, including attacks on police personnel, abductions, and the Nabha jail break, as reminders of that dark phase.

He alleged that during the Congress government, no real action was taken to curb gangsterism. Instead, a gangster from Uttar Pradesh was lodged in a special jail in Punjab under political patronage, forcing the UP government to approach the Supreme Court to regain custody. Pannu said it is no secret how traditional political parties nurtured gangsters for personal gains and abandoned them later, and even today, some people continue to indirectly support gangsterism.

Referring to the Tarn Taran bypoll, Pannu said giving a ticket to a gangster’s family member was nothing but encouragement to gangster culture. He asserted that the Mann government is determined to clean Punjab of this menace.

Sharing details of Tuesday’s developments, Pannu said gangster Money Prince was killed in an encounter in Amritsar after opening fire on police during an arrest attempt. The operation continued for several hours. In another encounter in Mandi Gobindgarh, Fatehgarh Sahib, a gangster was injured in the leg after firing at police and is currently undergoing treatment. He has around nine FIRs registered against him, including cases under NDPS and robbery. These, he said, are only two examples of the ongoing action.

Pannu said that the crackdown will continue relentlessly until gangsterism is completely eliminated from Punjab. He warned that gangsters who issue threats or demand extortion will be answered in the same language. Quoting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he said, “If a gangster fires bullets, he will not be answered with lullabies.”

He added that Punjab Police is also coordinating with the Central Government regarding gangsters sitting abroad, and full preparations for extradition are in place. Dossiers have been prepared and shared, and Punjab Police will pursue criminals across states and countries within the ambit of law.

Appealing to the public, Pannu urged Punjabis to cooperate with the police. He said a dedicated helpline number 93946-93946 has been issued, assuring complete confidentiality for informers. Those providing credible information leading to action against gangsters will be suitably rewarded. He added that police personnel showing exceptional bravery and results under this campaign will also be rewarded by the Punjab government.

Praising Punjab Police, Pannu said it is counted among the best police forces in the world, and there should be no doubt about its capability or commitment.

Concluding, Baltej Pannu said gangsterism and drugs are poisonous weeds planted by previous governments. “Whether it is the war against drugs or ‘Gangsters te Vaar’, these are battles to clean Punjab of the thorns left behind by past regimes. This requires strong willpower, and that willpower lies firmly with the Mann government. The Chief Minister has made it clear, anyone who takes the law into their own hands, threatens peace or harasses the people of Punjab, will not be allowed to roam freely,” he asserted.