Punjab CM warns Pak against attempts to spread 'narco terrorism'

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh warned Pakistan on Saturday against its "persistent attempts" to spread narco-terrorism in India, asserting that the police force was "keeping a close watch" on anti-national activities across the border even during a crisis.

Our eyes are open to what Pakistan is doing, Singh said, hours after the NIA arrested a "notorious narco-terrorist" who acted as a conduit for Pakistan-based terror groups.

The central agency said in a statement that it, along with the Punjab and Haryana police, arrested Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta, a resident of Amritsar, from Haryana. It said investigation in a drug case against Singh showed Pakistan-based outfits were using narcotic trade to generate funds for terror activities in India.

Assuring people that no matter how much the force has been busy with Covid duties, the Punjab chief minister said, the police was keeping a watch on the borders.

"Pakistan is not letting up on its attempts to push drugs, weapons and drug money despite the Covid crisis, clearly in an attempt to destabilise the state and disturb its peace, but we will not allow that to happen," he said.

He congratulated the Punjab police, led by DGP Dinkar Gupta, for the arrest and the role played by his personnel in operations against Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir.

He referred to the arrest of Hilal, a close associate of the banned group's operations commander Reyaz Naikoo, who was killed by security forces in Kashmir.

From Punjab police to BSF, everyone was on their toes to defeat the nefarious designs of Pakistan, said the chief minister, adding the state police force was working in a sustained manner to ensure that terrorists do not get away with their wicked plans.

Terrorists and gangsters had "probably thought they could use the gap created by the diversion of resources and police manpower to Covid duties to smuggle drugs and weapons to spread mayhem" in Punjab, but the Punjab police personnel were keeping a close eye on what was happening along the borders.

"We will ensure that such anti-national elements are caught and put behind the bars, where they belong, he said, as per an official release here.