Chandigarh, Aug 6 (UNI) In line with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's commitment to ensure peaceful celebrations of Independence Day, Punjab Police conducted extensive cordon and search operations (CASO) in and around all district and sub-divisional courts across the state to bolster security at judicial complexes.
The simultaneous operations were carried out across all 28 police districts of the state under the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav.
Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said that Commissioners of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) were instructed to personally oversee the operations and deploy adequate police teams under the supervision of SP-rank officers. They were directed to check all suspicious individuals in and around court complexes and inspect vehicles parked nearby using the Vahan app.
He said that police teams were also asked to ensure that Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs) and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras installed at judicial complexes were functioning properly.
Providing further details, the Special DGP informed that police teams frisked as many as 694 suspicious individuals found loitering near court premises. A total of 1,160 vehicles parked near court complexes were checked, leading to the issuance of 129 challans and the impounding of four vehicles.
Meanwhile, Punjab Police also continued its anti-drug cordon and search operations on Day 157, conducting raids at 397 locations across the state. These efforts resulted in the arrest of 109 drug smugglers and the registration of 89 First Information Reports (FIRs). With these arrests, the total number of drug smugglers apprehended during the ongoing campaign has reached 24,748.
The Special DGP said that the raids led to the seizure of 1.5 kg of heroin, 1.1 kg of opium, 35 quintals of poppy husk, and Rs 44,910 in drug money from the arrested individuals.
Over 180 police teams comprising more than 1,300 personnel and led by 82 gazetted officers carried out these raids and checked 437 suspicious individuals during the day-long operation.
Highlighting the state government's three-pronged strategy of enforcement, de-addiction, and prevention (EDP) to combat the drug menace, the Special DGP added that the police, as part of the 'De-addiction' effort, convinced 79 individuals to undergo treatment and rehabilitation on Tuesday.
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