Punjab police forms 1,228 village defence committees to fight drug abuse

Amid the call for a "war against drugs", the Punjab police has managed to constitute 1,228 village defence committees, and 162 defence committees in urban areas of the Roper range, an official said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ropar Range Harcharan Singh Bhullar said that 435 panchayats and wards have passed a resolution disallowing anyone from selling drugs, which the police consider a "big achievement."

"The Punjab government has launched a war against drugs. From January 1 to April 3, the police formed 1,228 defence committees in villages and 162 defence committees in urban areas. We have achieved success in the Ropar range. A resolution was passed in 435 panchayats and wards, and it was decided that no one can sell drugs here. This is a big achievement for the police, DIG Bhullar told ANI.

"If anyone in Punjab police is found to be associated with drug smugglers (dealers), they will be booked, jailed and lose their job," he added.

Earlier, Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria flagged off a six-day foot march from Shri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to Dera Baba Nanak, covering the districts of Gurdaspur and Amritsar on Thursday.

Kataria said on Friday that the government alone cannot fight against any social evil without the support of the people and requested them to motivate people to quit drug abuse.

"Due to this social evil of drug abuse, our youth is weakened, families are destroyed...The government is doing whatever it can. We cannot fight against any social evil without the support of the people. I request you all to motivate people near you to quit drug abuse," Kataria said.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill said a woman constable, Amandeep Kaur, has been dismissed from the service for her involvement in a drugs case.

The development came a day after teams from Sadar Bathinda Police led by Station House Officer (SHO) Sadar Bathinda Anubhav Jain arrested the accused Amandeep Kaur after recovering 17.71 grams of heroin from a black car, Mahindra Thar, which the latter was driving. Police teams have also impounded her vehicle. The accused woman constable was temporarily posted at Police Lines Bathinda.