Punjab Police conduct over 12,000 raids, arrest 3,721 in ongoing anti-gangster drive

Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav on Thursday evening said that police conducted over 12,000 raids and arrested 3,721 people under its ongoing crackdown against gangsters in the state. The Punjab government had launched the 'Gangstran Te Vaar' (crackdown against gangsters) drive to dismantle the entire ecosystem of organised crime on January 20 and conducted raids across the state at locations linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters. Speaking to the media on Thursday evening, Yadav said under the ongoing drive, police have so far conducted more than 12,000 raids. He further said 8,671 people were rounded up, and out of them, 3,721 were arrested. He added that 1,796 people were put under preventive detention and 3,154 people were released after verification. Yadav said 248 proclaimed offenders have also been arrested, and 104 firearms have been recovered. ''It is a continuous operation against crime and criminals. We are focusing on wanted criminals,'' he said. This campaign is for the safety of people, he added. Yadav said that the Punjab Police has also established an Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), headed by DIG Counter Intelligence Ashish Choudhary. These gangsters will be brought to Punjab to face legal action. Police teams from all the districts, in coordination with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab, have been conducting special operations across the state. People can anonymously report information related to wanted criminals and gangsters, and also share tips on crime and criminal activity, through the Anti Gangster Helpline number 93946-93946, police said. A cash reward of up to Rs 10 lakh will be given for information leading to the arrest of gangsters. Meanwhile, police teams continued their drive against drugs ''Yudh Nashian Virudh'' for the 334th day with 104 drug smugglers arrested on Thursday and recovered 43.6 kg heroin, 7 kg opium, 13 kg Ganja and 369 intoxicant tablets/capsules from their possession. With this, the total number of drug smugglers arrested reached 46,970 in 334 days.