To check smuggling, special checking of vehicles in Punjab's 10 districts

The Punjab Police on Monday carried out a special operation (OPS Seal-VIII) aimed at checking all vehicles entering or exiting the state to keep tabs on the movement of drug and liquor smugglers, gangsters and anti-social elements in the wake of forthcoming Assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

The operation was conducted from 6 am to 2 pm.

Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said 4,245 vehicles entering/exiting the state were checked, 293 challans issued for various violations and 16 vehicles impounded. The police also registered 26 FIRs and arrested 27 persons. Over 400 persons were rounded up for questioning.

During the operation, police teams also seized 1.1 kg opium, 29 kg poppy husk, 42 kg intoxicant powder, 1,070 intoxicant capsules and tablets and a large quantity of illicit liquor.

He said the Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of all border districts were asked to coordinate with their counterparts in the bordering states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure effective “nakabandi” as part of “OPS Seal-VIII”.

He said “nakas” involving over 1,000 police personnel were set up under the supervision of inspectors and DSPs at 92 entry/exit points in border districts of Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Ropar, SAS Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.