10,000 cops to be hired to root out drug menace: Punjab CM

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday announced 10,000 new recruitments in the Punjab Police to root out drugs, as he declared that the state was fighting the final and decisive "Yudh Nashean Virudh".

During a first-of-its-kind "SHO Milni" at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Academy, Phillaur, Mann said police had full freedom to take every legitimate action against drugs, and directed them to go to villages and towns, take people along and crack down on the menace.

"The state government is also holding discussions with the Union government for making the NDPS Act more stringent so that drug trafficking can be tackled more effectively," he said.

"Our neighbouring country is making sinister attempts to smuggle drugs across the border through drones, with the intention of harming Punjab, a land of hardworking and prosperous people. We have to remain vigilant and prevent these attempts from succeeding," he said.

Mann added that this was a historic initiative through which he, along with the director general of police, had been directly engaging with SHOs to understand their working conditions, listen to their concerns and formulate measures for their welfare

"SHOs carry an enormous responsibility because you are the face of policing at the grassroots level. The people come to you with their problems and expect justice, security and immediate action," he said

He said, "Our government understands the pressures and challenges faced by our police personnel and is adopting a humane approach towards your genuine concerns. But alongside support, the people of Punjab expect professionalism, honesty and accountability from every police officer."

Mann said public cooperation was indispensable in the fight against drugs, as people were providing information and cooperating with the police.

"Every complaint and every piece of actionable information must be dealt with seriously, professionally and without fear or favour. There should be no compromise when it comes to protecting the people of Punjab from drugs and crime," he exhorted the cops.

Strengthening the operational capacity of the Punjab Police, Mann said the government was providing CCTVs, anti-drone systems, modern vehicles and other advanced infrastructure and technology.

"Punjab is moving towards technology-driven policing, including the use of AI-enabled surveillance systems. Technology is now an important component of our strategy to make policing more effective," he said.

The chief minister said a close watch on drone activity was possible only with the active cooperation of local communities especially those living in border areas in identifying suspicious activity and sharing timely information with the police.

He said the Punjab Police was not only fighting crime but was also playing an important role in preventing drug abuse among youngsters.

"At the same time, our police force is also serving as a frontline defence for national security," he said.

"The SHOs should visit educational institutions and conduct awareness programmes so that our youth can be protected from the devastating consequences of drugs," he said.

He shared that 95,644 FIRs had been registered under the NDPS Act and 1,27,821 arrests had been made. More than 7,265 kg of heroin has been recovered. As part of the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign, property worth ₹375 crore belonging to drug smugglers has been seized.