Punjab Police plan GPS-enabled anklets for drug smugglers out on bail

The Punjab Police is planning to introduce GPS-enabled anklets for drug smugglers out on bail to track their movements, the state’s top cop said on Saturday.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav cited the example of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which uses the wearable device for UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) accused to monitor them.

Addressing the media here, Yadav said, “In J-K, GPS tracking anklets were started for UAPA persons who are bailed out. We are examining the proposal from a legal point of view.”

When an accused is released on bail, there are some conditions, Yadav said, adding that after taking orders from competent courts, GPS anklets will be put on notorious smugglers out on bail to track their movements.

Yadav said it will be done on a case-by-case basis, and the right to privacy will be kept in mind.

The DGP asserted that small-time drug users should not be targeted and instead be sent to drug de-addiction centres.

He said the police would also focus on such drug users who have been released on bail.

“We have devised a system of monitoring their activities by taking village elders and panchayats into confidence. Our objective is to integrate these into the mainstream. They (drug users) will be motivated to go to OAAT (Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment) clinics and drug de-addiction centres,” he said.

The station house officers will call such people to police stations, and a self-declaration will be taken from them that they will neither consume drugs nor peddle them, said the DGP.

However, he said police will take action against repeat offenders.

The DGP said an artificial intelligence software will be developed to upload information regarding arrested drug smugglers in districts into centralised data for forward and backwards linkages.

He further said drug de-addiction centres will be started in jails for drug users, who are put behind bars.

Replying to a question on deploying an anti-drone system to check smuggling of drugs and weapons, Yadav said the order for the system has been placed, and they are expected to be delivered by July and August.