Amritsar (Punjab) [India], April 6 : Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria held a 'Padyatra' on Sunday against drugs menace as part of Punjab government's 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh' campaign.
Kataria said, "Today's the fourth day (of the campaign), and it has become a 'Jan Yatra'. Local people are joining this campaign. Students, in large numbers, are joining the campaign. Olympic players and Arjuna awardee have also joined. It was my wish to make this a 'Jan Yatra' and not let it be confined just to a 'Governor Yatra'. This is just a start, now people have to take it forward in their villages. The state government is moving this campaign forward with strictness."
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 26 said that the Punjab Government has launched a strong war against drugs in the state, adding that people are coming forward to make 'Badalta Punjab.'
"Our government in Punjab has launched a strong war against drugs. Now in the next phase, the big drug suppliers will be attacked. Not a single drug dealer or supplier will be spared. During the Congress, Akali Dal and BJP governments, they had defamed Punjab by calling it "Udta Punjab". Now people are coming together to make 'Badalta Punjab'," Kejriwal posted on X.
As part of the ongoing war against drugs 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign was launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.
According to an official statement, since the launch of this Anti-Drug Campaign on March 1 2025, an arrest of 3957 drug smugglers after registration of 2248 first information reports (FIRs) across the state have been made and led to recovery of large amount of contrabands, including 137.7 kg heroin from the possession of drug smugglers.
The Chief Minister and the Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav directed all the Commissioners of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to identify and catalogue the main drug suppliers/peddlers in their respective districts within seven days.
The statement also mentioned that the directive was issued through a stern letter, aims to systematically dismantle supply chains fuelling the state's narcotics trade.
"Feedback from the citizens and other inputs indicate that the street level availability of heroin and other drugs has considerably reduced", said DGP in his letter.