As part of its drive against drugs and anti-social elements, the Punjab Police, on Saturday, conducted a massive state-level cordon and search operations (CASO) in all the 28 police districts of the state, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.

“The idea behind conducting these operations is to instill a sense of safety and security among the common people and effect the seizure of drugs,” he said.

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The operation was conducted from 11 am to 3 pm simultaneously across the state and additional DGP rank officers from Punjab Police headquarters were deputed in each Police district to personally supervise the operation.

The DGP said that the operation included all the Commissioners of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of the concerned districts mobilised maximum manpower for this operation.

He said that the CPs and SSPs had identified hotspots where drugs are prevalent or certain areas which have become safe haven for criminals and anti-social elements, to carry out this operation amid massive deployment of the police force. The operation was conducted at least 227 identified hotspots.

Yadav said that during the CASO operations a thorough search of suspected houses was conducted while ensuring minimum inconvenience to the public. “All the police personnel were strictly instructed to deal with every resident in a friendly and polite manner during the course of this operation,” he added.

The DGP said that Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann has mandated the Punjab Police to make Punjab a crime-free and drug-free state. He said that extensive drives against drugs and anti-social elements have been launched to combat the menace of drugs and root out gangsters from the border state.

Such operations would continue till the menace of drugs and Gangsters wiped out from Punjab, he said.

“My message to all such anti-social elements to voluntarily leave the state otherwise the Punjab Police will deal them with a heavy hand,” the DGP warned.”

He said that these types of operations are part of the basic policing which includes keeping vigil in vulnerable spots and advance preparation to tackle any untoward situation. Such operations also boost confidence among common people, besides, helping in activating and mobilising the police force.