Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav announced on Monday that the testing of the anti-drone system has been successfully completed. The installation of the system will begin soon along the second line of defense across the border state.
In a press conference, DGP Yadav confirmed that the deployment will be carried out in close coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Border Security Force (BSF) to enhance security measures.
The move comes as part of efforts to address security concerns posed by drone activities along the India-Pakistan border.
“We have begun preparations, and within the next few months, we will intercept drones bringing drugs and weapons from Pakistan. Several meetings with the MHA and the BSF have already taken place,” he said.
DGP Gaurav Yadav announced the arrest of 31 major hawala operators involved in laundering drug money, marking a significant development in the fight against drug-related crimes. The crackdown resulted in the recovery of over Rs 8 crore.
DGP Yadav further stated that the Punjab Government has approved the transfer of prisoners, including drug smugglers and hawala operators, to other states as part of efforts to disrupt their networks.
In response to concerns over the Punjab Government's May 31 deadline to make the state "drug-free," DGP Yadav clarified that the primary focus is on dismantling the drug supply chains rather than meeting specific targets for arrests or seizures. He reiterated that the state's strategy is aimed at long-term solutions to combat drug trafficking.
“By ‘drug-free,’ we mean that drugs will no longer be available on the streets. No specific targets—whether in terms of arrests or drug recoveries—have been assigned to Police Commissioners or district SSPs to achieve a drug-free state,” he said.
The DGP said that following the deadline, field surveys will also be conducted with the assistance of Intelligence units. “District heads who will achieve a drug-free state will be rewarded, while those who fall short will be held accountable. However, this is not a figure-based review system,” Yadav clarified.
In keeping with the spirit of the initiative, and as per the directions of CM Bhagwant Mann, the police will not register cases against drug addicts or peddlers found with small quantities of intoxicants. “Instead, they will be sent to de-addiction and rehabilitation centers under the special provisions of the NDPS Act, to help them overcome their addiction,” the DGP said.
For speedy trials of narcotics cases, the DGP said the state government has secured approval from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to establish 30 special NDPS courts.
DGP Yadav also lauded the performance of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), led by Special DGP Kuldip Singh, for achieving a 90 per cent conviction rate in NDPS cases.
Responding to concerns over the increasing number of police encounters, DGP Yadav said there was zero tolerance on the use of force against the police. “The Punjab Police will respond in self-defence” he added.
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