Hours ahead of the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Punjab, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday that they have dismantled three drug trafficking and illegal arms supply networks in Amritsar, and arrested five accused and also recovered 13 pistols, 3.267 kg heroin and 22 cartridges.
DGP Yadav said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were involved in the supply of illegal weapons and narcotics.
Further investigation is underway to uncover the complete backward and forward linkages and identify other persons involved, including foreign-based handlers, he added.
A day earlier, Amritsar Rural Police dismantled an arms and narcotics supply network with the arrest of three people -- a woman, her husband and her brother.
The police have recovered 10.030 kg of heroin, two sophisticated assault rifles, including one AK-47 and one AK-56, along with three magazines and 10 cartridges from their possession.
Home Minister Shah is visiting Jalandhar at around 2 p.m. to address the concluding programme of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’, a statewide campaign against drug abuse that has covered all 117 Assembly constituencies.
The rally is expected to mark a major political mobilisation by the BJP ahead of the 2027 state Assembly elections.
The campaign is aimed at highlighting the issue of drug abuse and mobilising public support for a drug-free Punjab.
State party President Kewal Singh Dhillon said Home Minister Shah’s arrival would symbolise new hope, renewed trust, and resolve for the state.
He said the event would amplify the people’s voice and advance efforts for a safe, prosperous, and strong state. Alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party government has failed to curb the drug menace, Dhillon claimed heroin home delivery has become widespread during its tenure.
He said the BJP would now take responsibility for addressing the crisis. He said the BJP’s statewide campaign has covered all 117 Assembly constituencies, uniting people around a common resolve. During the nearly 4,000-km journey, it carried messages of public awareness and collective action to villages and homes.
--IANS
