BATALA, May 15 — Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday declared that his administration is resolute in its mission to eliminate the narcotics trade from the state, noting that the ongoing “Yudh Nashean Virudh” initiative has transitioned into a mass social movement. Speaking at an anti-drug awareness programme organised on the occasion of the 38th Gurugaddi Divas of Sant Trilochan Das Ji Maharaj at Sachkhand Nanak Dham, Darshan Darbar in Batala, the Chief Minister stated that more than 63,707 smugglers have been apprehended within a span of 437 days.
The state’s crackdown has extended beyond arrests to include the demolition and seizure of properties built through illegal drug proceeds. The Chief Minister affirmed that the government has successfully disrupted the backbone of organized narcotics networks, putting high-profile traffickers behind bars while simultaneously prioritizing the rehabilitation of victims.
“The Punjab Government launched Yudh Nashean Virudh more than 400 days ago and this campaign has achieved resounding success,” Mann declared. He maintained that the fight against drugs is now supported by citizens standing shoulder to shoulder with the police, ensuring that supply lines remain snapped across the region.
In addition to anti-narcotics efforts, the Chief Minister cited the “Gangstran Te Vaar” campaign as a decisive offensive against organized crime. He also attributed the decline in sacrilege incidents to the recently enacted Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act 2026. Mann asserted that this strict legislation ensures exemplary punishment for offenders, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the global Sikh community to preserve the sanctity of their living Guru.
