Punjab: 988 FIRs, 1,360 arrests in 10 days of war against drugs
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president Aman Arora on Monday claimed the state government had achieved significant milestones in its 10-day-old war against drugs (Yudh Nashian Virudh) campaign. Addressing a press conference, Arora revealed that under the campaign, the police had registered 988 FIRs under the NDPS and arrested 1,360 drug traffickers.
The police have seized 1,035 kg of heroin, opium and other synthetic drugs, along with approximately 6.81 lakh drug pills and Rs 36 lakh. These figures underscore the AAP-led government’s determination to eliminate the drug menace from the state, he said.
In a strong move against drug-related assets, around 24 buildings linked to traffickers had been demolished. These properties, worth crores of rupees, were allegedly acquired through illegal means. During the operations, 19 traffickers sustained injuries when the police were forced to open fire in self-defence.
Arora emphasised the AAP government’s “unwavering commitment to eradicating drugs from Punjab”. He warned drug traffickers to either quit smuggling or leave the state, stating that the police were working round the clock to combat the issue. He criticised previous governments for allegedly shielding drug traffickers.
A Cabinet Committee, comprising Arora, Harpal Singh Cheema, Laljit Singh Bhullar and Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, has been formed to oversee the campaign. The committee is regularly visiting districts, holding meetings with officials and monitoring progress. Additionally, Health Minister Balbir Singh is overseeing hospitals, de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, while meeting with patients to ensure effective treatment. Arora affirmed that the Punjab Government and police were working systematically this time to root out drugs from the state.
