Punjab Police Arrest Over 22,000 In 3-Month Anti-Gangster Drive ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’

In a major crackdown on organised crime, the Punjab Police has arrested over 22,600 individuals in the past three months as part of its statewide anti-gangster campaign ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ , officials said on Monday. The operation, launched on January 20 , aims to dismantle the entire ecosystem supporting gangster networks, including their logistical, financial and communication structures.

According to police data, authorities conducted 62,302 raids across the state till April 19 , leading to the arrest of 915 proclaimed offenders and 461 associates of gangsters . A large number of wanted criminals were also apprehended during the operation, which targeted networks operating not only within Punjab but also across other states and even abroad.

The drive also involved strong preventive action. Officials said 10,254 people were detained under preventive measures , while another 16,439 individuals were verified and released after questioning , indicating the wide scope of the operation. In total, police have checked or accounted for nearly 49,300 individuals during the campaign.

Significant recoveries were also reported during the crackdown. Police seized 408 firearms, 148 sharp-edged weapons, 1,197 rounds of ammunition, 122 magazines, 2.5 kg of explosives and six hand grenades . Authorities also confiscated large quantities of narcotics, including 378.45 kg of heroin, 301.9 kg of opium, 2,838.77 kg of poppy husk, more than 12.4 lakh intoxicant tablets, 101.4 kg of ganja .

In addition to drugs and weapons, police recovered ₹1.05 crore in drug money , ₹50.7 lakh in cash , 273 grams of gold , and seized 24,520 litres of illicit liquor, 4,229 mobile phones, 815 vehicles and 31 drones linked to criminal networks.

Promod Ban, Additional Director General of Police of the Anti-Gangster Task Force, said the operation aims to completely eradicate gangster culture in the state. The campaign also uses Artificial Intelligence and digital tracking tools to monitor criminal activities and dismantle networks.

To strengthen public participation, the Punjab Police has launched an Anti-Gangster Helpline (93946-93946) for citizens to confidentially share information and assist law-enforcement agencies in tracking criminals. Officials said the operation has already helped solve multiple cases and disrupted the funding channels of several gangs, and the crackdown will continue with greater vigilance in the coming months.