IANS Year Ender 2025: Punjab Police bust 12 ISI-sponsored terror plots, arrest 50

Vishal Gulati

Chandigarh, Dec 27 (IANS) Punjab Police have claimed they have successfully maintained peace and harmony in the state this year with proactive action against ISI-sponsored terror modules by foiling 12 terror incidents and arresting 50 module members, besides the seizure of heroin that is nearly two-third of country’s total with the NDPS conviction rate as high as 88 per cent, country’s highest.  

While achieving unprecedented breakthroughs in the terror front, crime control and anti-drugs campaign named Yudh Nashiyan Virudh, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, in his year-ender video, said the foiling of ISI-sponsored terror modules included hand-grenade attacks at various places and one RPG attack on a police station. Besides, the police have busted additional seven modules.

Divulging details on action against terrorists, he said the Internal Security Wing has busted 19 modules with the arrest of 131 people this year and recovered nine rifles, 188 revolvers and pistols, 12 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 11.62 kg RDX, 54 hand grenades, 32 detonators, four rocket propelled grenades, one sleeve of disposed rocket launcher, two timer switches, three walkie-talkie sets and eight remote controlled devices from their possession.

Highlighting the fight against drugs under the Yudh Nashiyan Virudh campaign launched on March 1, DGP Yadav said the police have registered 29,784 FIRs and made 39,867 arrests resulting in recovery of highest ever 2,021 kg of heroin in one year.

Apart from recovering a big haul of heroin, the police have also 26 kg of ICE, 698 kg of opium, 35,000 kg of poppy husk, 55.78 lakh intoxicant pills and capsules and Rs 16.81 crore drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

He said the police have conducted investigations scientifically and professionally to achieve a conviction rate of 88 per cent, which is amongst the highest in the country. In the current year, 5,901 cases out of 6,728 decided cases have been convicted, he said.

The DGP stated that the “Safe Punjab” helpline proved to be a game-changer, resulting in 10,889 FIRs based on 28,952 tips, with a 38 per cent conversion rate. Property worth Rs 263 crore belonging to 548 smugglers was frozen under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act, he said.

This year heroin seizures in the state are nearly two-third of the total heroin seizures in the country, he said, while highlighting the state’s share in national NDPS arrests stood at 25 per cent, with nearly 20 per cent of all NDPS cases registered in the state.

As part of the prevention, the police also facilitated the admission of 23,940 individuals to de-addiction centres and referred 59,840 persons to OOAT clinics, underscoring the focus on rehabilitation.

Regarding achievements against the gangsters, the DGP said the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), along with field units, has succeeded in busting 416 gangsters and criminal modules after arresting 992 people and recovering 620 weapons and 252 vehicles used in criminal activities from their possession.

The DGP said that there has been a sustained focus on issuing Red Notices, Blue Notices, and, in coordination with the CBI and central agencies, for the extradition and deportation of foreign-based criminals. Gangster Anmol Bishnoi was geo-located by the Punjab Police, which shared information with central agencies, resulting in his deportation, he said, adding Parminder Singh, alias Pindi, involved in terror activities has been deported and two other criminals who were country-hopping, Sukhdev Kumar, alias Manish Bedi, and Sajan Masih, alias Goru, were tracked across countries and arrested in Mumbai.

--IANS

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