CHANDIGARH: With the aim of a coordinated action against organised crime, the first-ever anti-gangster task force police station with statewide jurisdiction will be established at Rajpura.
Sources said that the decision to establish the police station was taken following the controversy over gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's interviews with a private news channel from Bathinda jail.
In October 2024, seven police officials were suspended in connection with Bishnoi’s interview.
In January last year, a DSP Gursher Singh Sandhu was dismissed from service.
A senior officer of the Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police told TNIE that a station house officer (SHO) of inspector level will head the station with the supervision of the Deputy Superintendent of Police.
All cases against gangsters will be registered by the AGTF at the police station, in addition to interrogation and questioning.
"As of now, the AGTF has to depend on the concerned district police. Cases are registered in the various police stations under their respective jurisdictions, and at times sensitive information is leaked,’’ he added.
He further added that when the AGTF station turns fully functional, it will not have to depend on the police stations of the state police, as they will have their own investigating officers to pursue cases that are registered against gangsters.
The new statewide police station will act as a central hub to coordinate operations against gangsters. As per the gazette notification, the new police station will operate across Punjab, unlike regular police stations with limited territorial jurisdiction.
The move comes amid an intensified offensive by the Punjab Police under Operation Prahar, which has already seen two phases of statewide raids and arrests targeting gangster networks and their support systems.
The first phase focused on coordinated, simultaneous raids across districts to disrupt active gangs and their local facilitators.
More than 3,200 people were arrested across the State in the 72-hour `Operation Prahar-2’ initiated as part of the ongoing ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign.
Senior officers from Punjab Police Headquarters have personally visited different police districts to lead the operation in which over 2,000 police teams comprising 12,000 personnel were involved.
Sharing the cumulative outcomes of the three-day-long operation, Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that a total of 7,498 individuals were rounded up across the State, of which, 3260 including 135 proclaimed offenders (POs), have been arrested.
"Police teams have also recovered 47 weapons, 4.8 kg heroin, 3.6 kg opium, 42,797 intoxicant pills, 68 kg poppy husk and Rs 30 lakhs drug money from their possession," he said.
He also said that police teams have made 1,450 preventive arrests, while 2,788 persons were verified and released after questioning.
Meanwhile, Police teams have continued their drive against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” for 347th day with 164 drug smugglers arrested on Wednesday and recovered 11.9 kg heroin, 344 intoxicant tablets or capsules and Rs 4700 drug money from their possession.
With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 49,129 in just 347 days. Notably, the Punjab Police convinced 14 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment yesterday.
