Three days after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann vowed to make Punjab a drug-free state by the next Independence Day, Special Director General of Police (Spl DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla on Friday, chalked out a foolproof strategy with the Border Security Force (BSF) to completely break the supply chain of drugs and to counter the Drone operations at Punjab borders, which have emerged as the new modus operandi to smuggle drugs from across the border.
The Special DGP accompanied by IG Frontier Headquarters, BSF Jalandhar Dr Atul Fulzele was holding a Joint coordination-cum-review meeting with senior officials of BSF, Punjab Police, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other Central Agencies at Frontier Headquarters of BSF Jalandhar to further strengthen the security at the state border to prevent the cross border smuggling.
IGP Law and Order Pradeep Yadav, DIG Ferozepur Range Ranjit Singh Dhillon and six DIGs of BSF were among the other senior officials, who attended the meeting.Giving a call for total synergy and teamwork between BSF and Punjab Police, Spl DGP Arpit Shukla said that it was high time that both the elite forces should work as one team and activate good old human intelligence by gathering and sharing real-time information.
He said that CM Bhagwant Mann had already sanctioned Rs 20 crores for the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras in the border areas to further strengthen the second line of defence and keep vigil against drug smugglers and anti-social elements.
Additionally, Rs 10 crores are being spent to strengthen the police infrastructure including Police Stations, he said, while adding that additional police force and vehicles are also being provided to the Border Police.
Notably, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav had already announced a reward of ₹1 lakh for providing information on drone movement leading to the recovery of weapons/narcotics.
Special DGP Arpit Shukla ordered DIG Border range and DIG Ferozepur range to direct SSPs and other gazetted rank officers of border districts to ensure staying overnight in the border villages at least once or twice in a month as part of the confidence-building measure.
He also directed CPs/SSPs to identify and forfeit properties of big narco smugglers caught with commercial quantity of drugs. This year as many as 30 properties worth Rs 12.99 crores were seized and forfeited by the Punjab Police, he informed.
He also stressed on the need to implement Civic Action Programme to transform border villages into model villages by upgrading facilities including infrastructure, education, transportation, communication, etc. “We should establish parks and grounds in all the villages to promote sports culture among the youth and channelise their energy in the right direction,” he said.
Meanwhile, Special DGP Arpit Shukla also directed Police officers to tighten the noose around the mining mafia and take strict action against anyone found carrying out illegal mining.