Chandigarh: Punjab Police has arrested 50,930 individuals, including gangsters and their associates, during the first six months of its statewide ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, marking one of the state’s largest sustained operations against organised crime.
Launched on January 20, 2026 by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, the campaign has seen police teams, in coordination with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), conduct 96,964 raids at identified locations linked to criminal networks across Punjab.
According to Special DGP (Law and Order) Praveen Sinha, the crackdown has led to the seizure of 913 firearms, 2,475 live cartridges, 293 magazines, 229 sharp-edged weapons, and 15 hand grenades, significantly weakening the operational capabilities of criminal groups.
The police also initiated preventive action against 23,527 individuals, verified and released 18,367 persons after questioning, and arrested 1,386 proclaimed offenders during the campaign.
On the campaign’s 181st operational day, police carried out 590 raids, arresting 414 individuals, initiating preventive action against 231 persons, and apprehending 10 proclaimed offenders. Officials said the anti-gangster drive will continue with the same intensity in the months ahead.
Punjab Police has also urged citizens to support the campaign by anonymously sharing information about wanted criminals and gang-related activities through its Anti-Gangster Helpline (93946-93946).
Meanwhile, under the ongoing ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ anti-drug campaign, now in its 506th day, police arrested 87 alleged drug smugglers on Monday. Authorities recovered 673 grams of heroin, 1,200 intoxicant tablets and capsules, and ₹9,170 in suspected drug proceeds. The total number of alleged drug smugglers arrested under the campaign has now reached 73,988. Additionally, 18 individuals were persuaded to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment as part of the state’s parallel efforts to curb substance abuse.
