Punjab DGP defends police action against drugs and gangsters
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav stated that the state police are working without political meddling to maintain peace.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav has asserted that the state police are operating independently of political influence in their efforts to combat drug trafficking, organised crime, and terror networks, according to NorthBlockSouthBlock.
Speaking in Chandigarh on Monday, Yadav said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has provided the force with operational freedom to manage law and order and protect state security. He stated that the police are working professionally alongside central agencies to preserve peace in the border state.
Defending the force against criticism from opposition parties, the 1992-batch IPS officer cited statistics showing Punjab's crime rate of 153.8 per lakh population is below the national average of 252.3 per lakh. He noted that IPC crimes saw an 8 per cent decline during 2022-2026 compared to the 2017-2021 period.
Yadav highlighted the results of the Yudh Nashian Virudh anti-narcotics campaign, launched on March 1, 2025. He stated the campaign led to 88,900 arrests and the recovery of 44,424 kg of heroin. He added that heroin seizures increased 3.2 times and synthetic drug seizures rose 8.5 times.
The DGP also reported a drop in organised crime-related violence in 2026, noting that murders fell from 43 to 24 and firing incidents decreased from 207 to 128. He attributed this to operations against gangster networks and cooperation with international agencies, including the US FBI's Operation Hard Ball.
However, Yadav acknowledged ongoing challenges such as drone-based smuggling, narco-terrorism, and the diversion of pharmaceutical drugs from states including Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat into Punjab.