Punjab Police on Sunday conducted a cordon and search operation (CASO) under the name of “OPS Vigil-II“ at vulnerable public places to check the menace of drugs and gangsters.
Special Director General of Police, Law and Order, Arpit Shukla said the operation was conducted at vulnerable public places including railway stations, bus stands and hotels situated around them in all the 28 police districts of the state.
Sharing outcomes of the operation, the Special DGP said the police teams have registered 116 first information reports (FIRs) and arrested 141 persons after recovering 1.15 kilogram (kg) heroin, 37 kg Poppy Husk, 243-litre Illicit Liquor, six pistols, besides recovering Rs 7.02 lakhs of drug money from their possession.
The police have also arrested three Proclaimed Offenders (POs), he said, while adding that 1826 suspicious persons were also rounded up for questioning during the operation.
Shukla said such operations would continue till the menace of drugs and gangsters were wiped out from the state. These types of operations are part of the basic policing which includes keeping vigil at vulnerable spots and advance preparation to tackle any untoward situation, he added.
The Special DGP said apart from carrying out checking at bus stands and railway stations, over 550 well-coordinated strong inter-state and inter-district nakas, were also set up under the supervision of deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) in the state for a thorough search of suspected vehicles and persons, while ensuring minimum inconvenience to the general public.
Shukla said that over 7500 police personnel were involved to carry out this operation, which was conducted in a synchronised manner from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. across the state. All the district police chiefs were asked to mobilise a maximum number of officers and manpower for this operation to lay strong ‘nakas’ at district or city sealing points.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Range Inspector Generals of Police (IGsP). He said police teams have carried out CASO at 141 Railway Stations and 219 Bus Stands, besides conducting checks at 926 hotels, 172 Sarais and 166 Dharamshalas during the operation. Police teams have also checked 9521 two-wheelers and 7122 four-wheelers, Shukla added.
