Punjab News:Yudh Nashean Virudh: Punjab Police Launch CASO Across the State, Medical Store Inspections Part of Anti-Drug Drive
*Bhagwant Mann Govt Takes Anti-Drug Campaign to Grassroots Level Across Punjab*
*Cordon-and-Search Operations Being Carried Out by Punjab Police in Coordination with District-Level Teams*
As part of the Bhagwant Mann Government’s Yudh Nashean Virudh initiative, coordinated Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) were conducted across 23 districts of the state on Saturday. The massive operation, undertaken by the Punjab Police, civil administration and Nasha Mukti Morcha, is a key component of the Punjab Government’s 60-day mission-mode campaign against drugs.
The operations aim to detect narcotics, identify suspected drug traffickers and strengthen enforcement against the illegal drug trade. Alongside these efforts, officials also inspected medical stores to check for the unlawful sale or misuse of medicines that could be diverted for use as intoxicants.
During the operations, police teams conducted intensive checks at vulnerable locations and of suspicious persons and vehicles. Simultaneously, action was taken to reclaim identified drug-consumption points, CCTV cameras were installed at vulnerable locations, and local civic issues were taken up with the concerned departments for resolution. Police officers and civil administration officials also interacted with residents and strengthened coordination with Village Defence Committees to promote public cooperation and community vigilance against drugs.
Atin Agnihotri, Doaba Zone Coordinator of the Nasha Mukti Morcha (NMM), said, “We have begun coordinating with Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) to ensure action against drug peddlers, and we hope to achieve success in the coming days.”
He added that district-level teams are supporting the drive across Doaba, covering Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Jalandhar.
Malwa East Coordinator Anu Babbar said, “The CASO operations are in full swing in our zone, which comprises Patiala, Mohali, Sangrur and Roopnagar. The teams are also engaging with local residents to assess ground realities in villages and localities believed to be vulnerable to drug abuse, ensuring that the campaign does not remain confined to meetings and official directives.”
In Amritsar, for example, the operations were conducted under the direct supervision of Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, IPS, with the deployment of 5 DCPs, 8 ADCPs and 10 ACPs, along with a police force of 430 personnel, including NGOs and ORs, to ensure effective ground-level action, strict enforcement and comprehensive implementation of the identified measures.
The CASO operations form part of the Punjab Government’s broader initiative to curb drug abuse, dismantle the entire drug supply chain and encourage people to come forward and participate in the fight against drugs.
Over the past fortnight, similar operations have also been launched in parts of Ludhiana, Batala, Pathankot, Roopnagar, Sangrur and Patiala. Simultaneously, operations have been carried out in Maqboolpura and Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar in Amritsar. Similarly, operations have also been conducted at Guru Nanak Pura in Chheharta, Jalandhar; Ghanta Ghar and Harsi Pind, under Tanda Police Station, in Hoshiarpur; and Chhaj Colony and Valmiki Mohalla in Phagwara.
The campaign ultimately aims to create a drug-free Punjab by targeting both the drug supply chain and the conditions that allow drug abuse to thrive. As Yudh Nashean Virudh gathers momentum across the state, the Nasha Mukti Morcha and Punjab Police are seeking to maintain pressure on drug traffickers through CASO operations and sustained enforcement.