Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to check crime in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said that the police officers will be held accountable for major crimes taking place in the areas under their jurisdiction.

Interacting with the Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendent of Police here, the Chief Minister said that effective and responsive policing should be ensured to check crime in the state.

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He said Punjab Police is one of the best forces in the country and the glorious tradition of the Punjab Police to preserve unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the country should be maintained by all means. Justice should be dispensed to the people and ethos of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood should be cemented, he added.

The Chief Minister said that the state government will embark on major police reforms to ensure that people are benefited from it. He said that the motive is to ensure that the hard earned peace of the state is maintained by all ways and means. He said the state government has already laid major thrust on the modernisation of the Police in the state and Punjab Police is today being equipped with world class vehicles.

The Chief Minister further said that unlawful activities should be dealt with a heavy hand and those involved in this crime should not be spared. He said that the Police officers should lay major thrust on intelligence gathering and dispensation of justice to the common man.

The Chief Minister said that the supply line of drugs in the state must be further snapped with heavy hand. He said that a zero tolerance policy should be adopted against the drug menace and no one involved in this heinous crime should be spared. He said that he would monitor the action against drugs on a daily basis adding that a strategy must be formulated to make the youth at school and college levels aware of the curse of drugs.

The Chief Minister said that the properties of the drug smugglers should be confiscated and no laxity should be adopted in this noble cause. He said that ”the time has arrived when we must take decisive action against the scourge of drugs so that our coming generations can be saved from it.” Bhagwant Singh Mann said the properties of the drug smugglers should be seized with immediate effect and big fish involved in this major crime should be put behind bars.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is firmly committed to wiping out organised crime in the state and strict action should be taken against the gangsters. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that no one should be allowed to take law in his hand and exemplary action should be taken against them. He said that gangsters should be taken to task and severe action should be taken against them so that they are not able to create any nuisance.

The Chief Minister said that strict action should be taken against the gangsters so that it acts as a deterrent for these anti-social elements. He unequivocally said that the perpetrators of organised crime will not be allowed to flex muscles in state and they should be taught a lesson. He also asked the officers to make sure that a complete roadmap is formulated for checking the petty crimes in the state.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to checking the corruption in the state and even that prevailing in echelons of police needs to be checked with a heavy hand. He said that all the black sheep amongst the police force should be identified and strict action should be taken against them.

The Chief Minister also batted for better coordination of Police with the general public to check the crime rate across the state. He said that this will help in eliminating crime in the state thereby giving impetus to the peace, progress and prosperity of the state. Mr Mann recalled the stellar role of Punjab Police in combating the black days of terrorism with the active support of the common man.

Dwelling on another issue, the Chief Minister asked the officers to conduct surprise checking in the area under their jurisdiction. He said that the motive should not be fault finding but it should be aimed at streamlining the affairs pertaining to law and order. He said that this will enhance the efficiency of the Punjab Police and ensure the safety and security of the people.