Chandigarh: The Punjab government on Tuesday launched 'Operation Prahar', a statewide drive to dismantle the entire ecosystem of organised crime, with over 2,000 police teams conducting raids across the state at locations linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said a "gangsters te vaar" (crackdown against gangsters) has been launched in the state, asserting that there is no place for gangsterism in Punjab.
“Anyone who takes law into their own hands should remember that they will no longer receive protection in Punjab and will face direct action. This campaign will continue until gangsterism is eradicated. Police personnel who perform well in this campaign will also be rewarded,” Mann said in a post on X.
Earlier, addressing a press conference here, Director General of Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said raids were being conducted across the state and 12,000 police personnel were participating in the 72-hour-long operation. "Financing, logistics, safe houses, weapon supply chains, communication networks... We are committed to bust the entire ecosystem of gangsters. There will be zero tolerance for their aiders and abetters," Yadav told reporters here.
"A massive statewide crackdown against gangsters has already begun. As many as 2,000 police teams are conducting raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters across Punjab. These raids are part of the 72-hour-long Operation Prahar," he said.
He said police have mapped 1,200 associates of 60 gangsters.
Prominent among those foreign gangsters were Goldy Brar, Rohit Godara (Brar-Rohit Godara-Kala Jatheri gang), Arsh Dalla (Jaipal gang), Harry Chattha (Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang) and Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda (Rinda-Landa gang).
Meanwhile, sharing the outcome of the first day of the operation, Special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla said, “As many as 1,314 associates and abettors of foreign based gangsters have been rounded up across the state. Thorough investigations are currently ongoing.”