Cracking down heavily on drug trafficking, Fazilka District Police has arrested 1,331 accused persons in 924 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act during the last eight months of the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign.
The sustained crackdown led to the recovery of 41.124 kg of heroin, 3.85 gm of crystal methamphetamine, 6.503 kg of opium, 42 gm of charas, 250.537 kg of poppy husk and 15,843 intoxicating capsules/tablets. A total of 38 vehicles used in drug trafficking have also been impounded.
On this, DGP Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav stated, “In the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign, Fazilka Police has recorded significant success against drug trafficking and abuse. Alongside enforcement, due emphasis has also been laid on rehabilitation. A total of 252 persons have been admitted to De-Addiction Centres, while 1,809 have been referred to Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) Centres. As many as 141 persons have also been covered under Section 64-A of the NDPS Act.”
The district police has also made significant progress under Gangstran Te Vaar, with several associates of gangsters linked to different gangs identified and arrested. “The identified and arrested accused persons are being kept under continuous surveillance to curb organised crime. So far, 10 cases have been registered under the Arms Act and 15 accused have been arrested. The recoveries include 25 pistols, one country-made pistol, 32 magazines, 52 live cartridges and three drones,” said SSP Fazilka Gagan Ajit Singh.
As part of its community outreach efforts, Fazilka Police has conducted 99 Project Sampark meetings and 334 anti-drug awareness camps and seminars. These initiatives aim to encourage public participation, spread awareness about drug abuse and strengthen police-community relations. Awareness sessions have also been held to sensitise the public about the 1930 helpline and the cybercrime.gov.in portal for timely reporting of cybercrimes.
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The district police has adopted a proactive, intelligence-led policing model for round-the-clock public safety. Twenty-one Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) linked to the 112 helpline, manned by 102 police personnel, along with five PCR motorcycles with 10 personnel, have been deployed in day and night shifts. Seven permanent night checkpoints have also been established at strategic entry and exit points of the district, where 39 police personnel are deployed. The checkpoints are barricaded and regularly inspected by senior officers.
Robust traffic enforcement has resulted in 23,804 challans being issued, 921 vehicles being impounded and 173 cash challans issued, with fines amounting to ₹1,70,600. Preventive policing measures have also resulted in 976 persons being detained and 545 persons being bound down, further strengthening law and order across the district.
The police is also making extensive use of technology to strengthen investigations and enforcement. The Punjab Artificial Intelligence System (PAIS) is being used for identity verification, while the VAHAN database facilitates instant vehicle verification during nakas and search operations. A Digital Forensic Laboratory has also been established for the forensic examination of seized mobile phones, electronic devices and other digital evidence.
“CCTV surveillance and technology-driven intelligence have further enhanced crime detection, investigation and operational efficiency. NATGRID and open-source applications such as Anveshak are being used to trace and locate criminals. Absconding murder convict Sandeep Tomar was successfully traced and arrested from Madhya Pradesh with the help of NATGRID. The system has also assisted police operations against cross-border drug-smuggling networks in 2026,” added the SSP.
In the crackdown on cross-border smuggling, 16 cases have been registered and 11 accused persons arrested. The arrests led to the recovery of 26.822 kg of heroin, one pistol, five magazines, 13 live cartridges and one drone.
