Punjab Police has completed 544 days of its flagship anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashian Virudh, reiterating its commitment to making a Nasha Mukt Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. It caps what has become one of the longest sustained anti-narcotics operations in the history of policing in the state.
The Long Drug War
The campaign started in March 2025 and Police teams are kept busy every single day across all the 28 police districts. The Anti-Narcotics Task Force carries out targeted raids and intelligence-led search operations against street-level peddlers as well as bigger trafficking networks. Officials say the drive has hit the halfway mark of its second year without a single day’s break.
Enforcement With Rehabilitation
The campaign has also heavily leaned on rehabilitation beyond arrests and seizures. Instead of just taking punitive action, police teams are providing counseling on a regular basis to the victims of addiction and encouraging them toward de-addiction and treatment. Total arrests under the drive have surpassed 76,000, suggesting a steady pace of daily operations rather than the occasional crackdowns.
The Government’s broader vision
CM Mann has been repeatedly saying the campaign will continue till Punjab is completely free of drugs and has linked it with the larger outreach activities like awareness campaigns at the village level and in schools and colleges to reach the younger residents. A five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee has also been set up to monitor progress and co-ordinate the state’s response.
At over 544 days since the campaign began, Punjab Police says the mission is not symbolic, but long-term, with an aim to break the drug networks and provide a way for families affected to get back on track.
