Punjab steps up war on drugs, CM Bhagwant Mann orders final assault on peddlers

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday ordered the police to intensify action against drug peddlers and smugglers, saying the state government's anti-drug campaign has entered its final phase and calling for a "final assault" to eradicate the menace.

Reviewing the progress of the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign launched on March 1, 2025, Mann said the fight against drugs had moved beyond the police force and become a people's movement. He directed senior officials to target remaining drug hotspots and strengthen coordination with residents to identify and dismantle supply networks.

Mann held a virtual meeting with deputy commissioners, senior superintendents of police, commissioners of police and other senior officers from across Punjab to review the campaign, police action against smugglers and the mechanism for acting on complaints received from the ground.' ' .. .. pic.twitter.com/lwXRhCEUJb— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) September 15, 2026'FINAL ASSAULT' AGAINST DRUGS

"The time has come for a final assault. All the remaining drug hotspots, if any, need to be targeted for better results. The government will not rest until the menace of drugs is completely eradicated from Punjab," Mann said.

He said 14,846 Village Defence Committees (VDCs), with 74,230 active members, are currently working across Punjab. Of these, 3,808 committees with 36,814 members are active in border areas, where community participation is particularly important in identifying drug-smuggling networks.

Mann said feedback from the VDCs had increased by 41 per cent across the state, indicating greater public participation in the campaign.5,589 DRUG SMUGGLERS ARRESTED

According to Mann, police have registered 4,129 FIRs and arrested 5,589 alleged drug smugglers since January this year based on complaints received through the VDCs.

He said complaints received through the committees were being followed up by the police, with strict action initiated against those involved in drug smuggling.

The chief minister said the increased flow of information from villages and localities had strengthened the government's intelligence and feedback mechanisms at the grassroots.SAFE PUNJAB APP GETS 19,310 FIRs

Mann also highlighted the role of the Safe Punjab app in allowing citizens to report drug-related activities. Over the past more than one year, around 19,310 FIRs have been registered and 25,138 alleged drug smugglers arrested based on complaints received through the app, he said.

"The figures demonstrate that the fight against drugs is no longer confined to police stations or government offices but has transformed into a people's movement being fought from every village and locality," Mann said.

He added that while the state government had "broken the backbone of the drug supply chain", there was no room for complacency.

"The state government has broken the backbone of the drug supply chain, but this is no time to lower our guard," the chief minister said.- EndsInputs from Kamaljit Kaur SandhuPublished By: Priyanka KumariPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 21:21 IST