CHANDIGARH: In the first phase of the Punjab Police’s 72-hour-long ‘Operation Prahaar’, launched under the ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, 3,256 associates and abettors linked to gangsters were arrested, as police rounded up a total of 4,871 persons across the state and seized 69 weapons.
The operation, aimed at dismantling the support structures of gangsters based abroad, was conducted across Punjab over three days.
Sharing the cumulative outcomes of the operation, Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said that of the 4,871 individuals rounded up across the state, 3,256 were formally arrested.
Police teams also recovered 69 weapons, 6.5 kg of heroin, 10.5 kg of opium, 5,092 intoxicant pills, 72 kg of poppy husk and Rs 2.69 lakh in alleged drug money from their possession.
He added that police teams also arrested 80 proclaimed offenders and made 25 preventive arrests during the operation.
Shukla said the 72-hour-long operation had achieved its objectives beyond expectations. “Operation Prahaar was a surgical and intelligence-driven strike on the logistics, financial and communication networks sustaining gangsters,” he said, reiterating that the ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign would continue until Punjab is free from gangsters.
Urging citizens to actively support the campaign against organised crime, Shukla said people could anonymously report information related to wanted criminals and gangsters, and also share tips on crime and criminal activity, through the Anti Gangster Helpline number 93946-93946.
A cash reward of up to Rs 10 lakh would be given for information leading to the arrest of gangsters, he said.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said, “The ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ is a sustained campaign that will continue with full force until Punjab is completely cleansed of the gangster menace.”
Declaring a war against gangsters on Tuesday, Yadav had launched the massive crackdown under the name “Operation Prahaar”.
Over 2,000 police teams, comprising around 12,000 personnel, were deputed across the state to conduct raids at identified and mapped locations allegedly linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters across Punjab.