CHANDIGARH: The 'bulldozer' action by the Punjab government continued as unauthorised structures built on the encroached panchayat land by drug peddlers in the Khanpur and Mandi villages of Phillaur were demolished.
The action was taken by the Jalandhar Rural Police in coordination with local authorities. The structures were unlawfully occupied by two individuals with a history of narcotics smuggling and were removed following due legal procedure.
Senior Superintendent of Police Jalandhar (Rural) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said that the demolition drive was carried out following the request of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Phillaur.
He had sought police assistance for the removal of illegal encroachments.
The action was directed against Jasvir Singh alias Sheera, son of Dalveer alias Bur, resident of Khanpur, and Bholi, wife of Rampal alias Rama, resident of Mandi.
As per official records, Bholi is a notorious drug smuggler and has been facing multiple cases under the NDPS act, including a 1.190 kg smack recovery in 2005, a 2 kg poppy husk seizure in 2015, and a significant quantity of drugs recovered in 2022.
Similarly, Jasvir Singh alias Sheera has also been named in multiple cases, including one involving a commercial quantity of charas and intoxicated injections.
Khakh said that the police, along with revenue and panchayat officials, ensured that the encroachments were demolished smoothly, with adequate deployment to prevent any disruption.
Authorities confirmed that the land rightfully belongs to the gram panchayat and had been unlawfully occupied by the accused.
Khakh reiterated that Jalandhar Rural Police will continue its crackdown on illegal encroachments linked to criminal networks, ensuring that no individual benefits from the proceeds of crime or unauthorized occupation of public land.
He further urged citizens to report such illegal activities, assuring strict and swift action against offenders
He also added that the residents informed him that the two drug traffickers would often intimidate and threaten the villagers.
Meanwhile, Village Sarpanch of Khanpur, Paramjit Kaur and local residents commended the action of the Punjab Government against drug smugglers.
Recently houses of drug peddlers were demolished by the Punjab Police in Patiala, Ropar and in Ludhiana.