Taking community policing to the next level, Punjab Police, under its ‘Yuva Saanjh Programme’, has intensified its outreach to disoriented youth, complementing its ongoing crackdown against organised crime under Operation ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’.
A series of meetings, chaired by Special Director General of Police (SDGP), Community Affairs Division (CAD), Gurpreet Kaur Deo, has been conducted since January to sensitise officers and community stakeholders on implementation modalities.
Positioned as the preventive arm of ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’, the programme focuses on offering constructive alternatives to prevent youth from drifting towards extremism, gun culture, drug abuse, and other harmful influences. In the past four months, five interactions have been held the highest since inception, with 11 more planned over the next eight months to further expand outreach.
Under the initiative, Punjab Police identifies vulnerable youth across communities, including those influenced by online extremism, violence, or gangster culture. So far, 2,358 individuals have been identified through social media analysis, with 1,519 profiles created on the state-level ‘Yuva Saanjh Software’.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said, “Punjab Police is pursuing a calibrated two-pronged strategy, decisive enforcement through ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ and sustained preventive engagement through ‘Yuva Saanjh’. Psychological profiling, structured counselling, and family involvement form the backbone of this initiative.
Cases requiring deeper intervention are referred to sub-divisional community centres, ensuring continuity of care. Our objective is clear: to dismantle criminal networks while simultaneously insulating our youth from being drawn into them.” A total of 1,490 individuals have undergone sensitisation, while 1,109 have attended counselling sessions.
Overall, 1,836 individuals have been brought under counselling by district intelligence units, with an additional 522 identified independently by district teams. At the field level, District Yuva Saanjh Committees, headed by SP/DCPO-rank officers nominated by CPs/SSPs, are driving implementation.
These committees bring together civil society members, retired officials, psychologists, NGOs, and community representatives to ensure a coordinated, community-led response. SDGP Gurpreet Kaur Deo said, “While ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ is aimed at dismantling organised crime networks, ‘Yuva Saanjh’ focuses on prevention, identifying vulnerable youth at an early stage and guiding them towards constructive pathways.
Our approach is firm where required, but equally empathetic where timely intervention can change the course of a young life.” Rehabilitation is facilitated by CPs/SSPs in coordination with the District Administration, Punjab Skill Development Mission (PSDM), and partner organisations.
Support includes skill development, employment linkage, and financial assistance where required, ensuring our youth are guided towards stable and productive pathways, away from negative influences. "The initiative has helped the Punjab Police to not only reduce the crime rate on ground, but also in preventing the state youth from supporting trouble makers.
This is perhaps the first of its kind initiative launched by any state police in the country. The Punjab Police has launched such a massive programme to allow youth to clear their doubts and come face-to-face with reality," said Gurmeet Singh, SSP, Fazilka. He further added, "In our district alone, we have managed to build a good stronghold of law-abiding youth to strengthen the power of state."