Police cracked down on drugs, gangsters

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Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 30

By arresting dreaded gangsters and busting ISI backed module, the police seem to have been successful in curbing crime in Patiala district in 2019. Over all, the Patiala police solved 26 blind murder cases, busted 16 gangs, and arrested 1,093 drug peddlers in 2019.

The Patiala police officials got the DGP disc and rewards from the Chief Minister himself. Moreover, not tolerating corruption and inefficiency in the Police Department, the SSP dismissed several cops for their failure in serving resident of Patiala.

However, there had been instances, wherein, the Patiala police failed to arrest a few of their investigating officials, who were allegedly involved in extortion and corruption despite registration of FIRs against them.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Mandeep Singh Sidhu, said, “The police have been successful in curbing major crimes in district. Detection of crime and solving it in time was the top priority of the Patiala police.”

“I think, the Patiala police have been successful in curbing crimes in the district. However, youngsters getting involved in crime is most worrying for us.”

Drugs worth crores seized

Tightening the noose around drug peddlers, the Patiala police arrested as many as 1,093 accused and recovered drugs worth crores this year. Taking a tough action against peddlers, the Patiala police registered 898 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. In 2019, the police recovered 3,441 kg of poppy husk, 54.2 kg of opium and 2.2 kg of smack. Apart from this, the police also confiscated 6.16 lakh intoxicant pills from drug peddlers in the last one year. Meanwhile, as many as 111 four-wheelers and 182 two-wheelers were also seized, which were used to smuggle drugs.

2.4 lakh-litre liquor seized

The Patiala police under the Excised Act recovered 2.4 lakh litre of illicit liquor, including wine, beer and lahan. Under the Act, the police arrested 1,265 people and registered 1,352 cases in 2019. Around 474 vehicles in which liquor was smuggled were also seized.

16 gangs busted

The Patiala police, this year, claimed to have busted 16 gangs and solved around 100 cases of robbery, dacoity and theft. The police also recovered Rs 1.04 crore in cash and 24 weapons. Other recoveries include 41 AC, six LEDs, 22 mobile phones and six gold chains.

Spurious milk products factory unearthed

A factory manufacturing spurious dairy/milk products was unearthed in Devigarh. The police recovered 7,000 litre spurious milk, 24 quintal desi ghee, 40 kg butter, 19 quintal cheese, 367 bags of dry milk and Rs 4 lakh in cash from the factory.

Terrorist module busted

A terrorist module was busted by the police. Its mastermind German Singh was arrested from Bikaner in Rajasthan and his accomplice Ishwar Singh was also nabbed and five weapons along with cartridges were recovered from them.

ISI-backed terror module busted

An ISI-backed terror module was busted with arrest of Shabnamdeep Singh. A pistol, a hand grenade, a motorcycle and letter pad belonging to the Khalistan Gadar Force was recovered from him.

Illegal liquor unit found at farmhouse

An illegal liquor unit running from a farmhouse at Dedhna village of Ghagga was unearthed. The police seized 91 boxes containing 1,092 bottles of liquor, 9,800 empty liquor bottles, fake stickers, seal caps and plastic drums for storing chemicals from unit.

RC racket busted

A racket involved in issuing fraudulent registration certificates (RCs) of vehicles and transport permits was unearthed. As many as 69 RCs issued in the name of Patiala RTA office, 11 of Ambala RTA and 132 counterfeit transport permits were recovered from the accused.

Bank robbers arrested in four hours

Two armed men shot dead a bank guard in Nabha and fled with Rs 50 lakh in cash. Both the accused were arrested within four hours of the incident. During their police remand the duo confessed to have committed 14 robberies, killing six persons and seriously injuring seven. More than 15 cases of robberies were cracked with the arrest of the two accused.

Gangster Navpreet Lahoria arrested

In February, the Patiala police arrested gangster Navpreet Singh, alias Nav Lahoria, who was heading the Lawrence Bishnoi and Sampat Nehra gangs and was wanted by the police of four neighbouring states along with four of his accomplices. Four weapons along with cartridges were recovered from them.

Two gangsters nabbed

On February 25, the Patiala police arrested two gangsters, who were planning to commit a major crime. One of the accused identified as Mankirat Singh, alias Mani, a resident of Jalandhar, had earlier attacked Hoshiarpur cops and freed a gangster Dilpreet Baba from their custody in May 2016. Other accused identified as Daljit Singh, alias Dali, a resident of Jalandhar was also arrested by the police.

Rs1 crore demonetised currency recovered

In March, the Patiala police confiscated unaccounted old prohibited currency worth Rs 1 crore and arrested three persons in this connection.

Phishing gang busted

The Patiala police busted a Jharkhand-based phishing gang allegedly involved in duping Patiala Member of Parliament Preneet Kaur of Rs 23 Lakh.

CIA in-charge not arrested

The Patiala police failed to arrest the CIA staff in-charge, Samana, Vijay Kumar, in an alleged extortion, kidnapping and corruption case. The case was handed over to Vigilance. The police also failed to arrest the Rajupra CIA in-charge, Inspector Gurjeet Singh, in a corruption case and for helping drug peddlers.

Did not present challan in court

Even eight months after a huge amount of country-made liquor recovered from a rice sheller in Samana, allegedly owned by Congress supporters, the Patiala police failed to present a challan in the court.

23 police officials dismissed

• NDPS Act cases: 08
• Corruption cases : 12
• Absentees: 03
• NGOs/Ors 23

Recovery under Arms Act/Explosives Act

• Cases registered: 19
• Persons arrested: 35
• Weapons recovered: 41
• Hand grenade: 4

Rewards for Police officials

• Granted local rank Inspector: 05
• Granted local rank

Sub-Inspector: 15

• Granted local rank ASI: 38
• Granted local rank HC: 04
• Granted promotion list C-II: 22
• Awarded DGP Disc: 101
• CC Class-Ist, IInd and IIIrd: 4,251
• Cash reward by DGP, Punjab: Rs5.20 Lakh