72-hour-long Operation Prahaar ongoing; over 2,000 police teams raiding locations linked to associates of 60 identified foreign-based gangsters: DGP
DGP Punjab launches Anti-Gangster Helpline 93946-93946; people can anonymously report gangster-related information
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
After making substantive progress in the ongoing anti-drugs campaign ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government has now launched ‘Gangstara Te War’, a decisive war against gangsters aimed at making Punjab a gangster-free state.
Declaring the launch of this war, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said that a massive statewide crackdown against gangsters has already begun. As many as 2,000 police teams, comprising over 12,000 police personnel, are conducting raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters across Punjab. These raids are part of the 72-hour-long Operation Prahaar.
Addressing a press conference at the Punjab Police Officers Institute (PPOI) here on Tuesday, DGP Gaurav Yadav, accompanied by Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla, ADGP Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Promod Ban and IGP Headquarters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, reiterated the Punjab Government’s zero-tolerance policy against gangsterism and those supporting it.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said, “The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has declared a well-strategised war against gangsters with the clear intent of eliminating the entire ecosystem of gangsterism, including their financing, logistics, safe houses, weapon supply chains and communication networks.”
Warning foreign-based gangsters, the Punjab DGP added, “They should not feel safe abroad. Soon, they will be brought back to Punjab to face the law.”
The DGP said that Punjab Police has identified 60 foreign-based gangsters who are operating from abroad while executing criminal activities in Punjab through their local associates. “To expedite their extradition, the Punjab Police has established an Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell, Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC), headed by DIG Counter Intelligence Ashish Choudhary. These gangsters will be brought to Punjab to face legal action,” he said.
Providing further details, DGP Gaurav Yadav said that Red Corner Notices (RCN) have already been issued or are in the process of being issued against 23 of the identified gangsters. “The process to issue Red Corner Notices against the remaining 37 foreign-based gangsters will be completed in a time-bound manner within the next three months,” he said.
Appealing directly to the youth, the DGP urged those, who have been misled, to abandon the path of crime and return to the mainstream. “I urge misguided youth not to fall into the trap of foreign-based gangsters, who themselves are sitting safely abroad and luring you with small sums of money to commit heinous crimes. Crime does not pay,” he said, while cautioning that those who refuse to reform should be ready to face strict action.
During the press conference, DGP Gaurav Yadav also launched an Anti-Gangster Helpline number, 93946-93946, enabling citizens to anonymously share information about wanted criminals and gangsters, and to provide tips related to crime and criminal activity. A cash reward of up to ₹10 lakh will be given for information leading to the arrest of gangsters, he said.
The DGP further informed that the Punjab Government has approved a reward policy with a total sanctioned amount of ₹10 crore. “Under this policy, SSPs will be authorised to grant rewards of up to Rs 1 lakh, CPs and DIGs Ranges up to ₹1.5 lakh, Wing Heads up to ₹2 lakh, while the DGP Punjab can sanction rewards above ₹2 lakh,” he said. He added that these rewards will be given to members of the public whose information leads to arrests, as well as to police officers and officials who carry out exceptional operations under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act or against gangsters.