239 held with drugs, weapons, cash since poll code imposition

Nitin Jain

Khanna (Ludhiana), May 22

The Khanna police have further stepped up crackdown against violators of the model code of conduct (MCC), which had been in force since the announcement of the 2024 General Election on March 16, across three Assembly segments falling under the Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha constituency.

The district police have arrested 239 criminals under various offences punishable under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, Excise Act and the Arms Act, from whom a huge cache of drugs, illicit liquor, drug money and weapons have been seized during the past over two months.

Besides identifying 48 troublemakers, the police have so far taken 158 history-sheeters and other anti-social elements under preventive custody. Also, 51 POs have been arrested while all 564 non-bailable warrants (NBWs) have been executed in the police district, which is part of Ludhiana administrative district.

Also, over 98 per cent of the total 6,445 arms licence owners have deposited their licensed weapons with the police, which was mandatory as per the prohibitory order issued by District Magistrate (DM) Sakshi Sawhney till March 31.

Leading the special drive launched by the district police against poll code violations, Khanna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amneet Kondal has directed the police force to ensure strict implementation of the MCC and allow no violation of the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the conduct of free, fair, and peaceful elections.

Amneet told The Tribune here on Wednesday that 10 inter-district nakas (checkpoints) had been set up across the limits of three police sub-divisions and 8 police stations falling under Khanna police district to maintain strict vigil on the movement of anti-social elements and check any illegal activity that might affect the smooth conduct of the elections. Two of these 10 special nakas had been made hi-tech and put under the round-the-clock CCTV supervision.

The SSP said of the total 383 polling station locations across Khanna police district, eight have been identified as vulnerable and five critical.

Amneet said 201 criminals had so far been arrested in 81 FIRs registered under the NDPS Act, Excise Act and Arms Act, from whom a huge cache of drugs worth Rs 1.25 crore, illicit liquor, weapons, drug money and unaccounted cash had been recovered.

The recovery included 563 litres of licit liquor, 30 litres of illicit liquor, 879.3 kg of poppy husk, 195 gm of heroin, 12.768 kg of opium, 7 kg of ganja, 61 gm of smack, 12 kg of poppy plants, 42,900 intoxicating pills and injections, 6 gm of intoxicating powder, 119 gm gold worth Rs 8.38 lakh, Rs 79.54 lakh unaccounted cash, Rs 1.75 lakh drug money, six .32-bore pistols, four countrymade .315-bore pistols, one countrymade 7.65 mm pistol and 18 cartridges.

“In a major operation, we had intercepted Rs 25 lakh unaccounted cash at a hi-tech naka on March 30 and later also, similar recoveries and seizures had been made following which cases had been handed over to the Income Tax Department for further proceedings in the matter,” she said.

The district police chief further stated that 48 troublemakers had been identified so far with preventive action already been taken against 39 of them while 38 of the total 46 historysheeters had also been rounded up with the remaining eight already behind bars.

Under other preventive action, 51 had also been arrested while three parole-jumpers were still on the run. Besides, the total 564 NBWs received since January 1 had already been executed as well.

The action against POs and absconders has led to the arrests of several wanted criminals while certain such elements were still on the run. However, the entries of 53 POs and absconders have been deleted from the police records following the due legal process.

The SSP revealed that 6,445 arms licence holders possessed 7,668 licensed weapons in the district, of which 7,523 arms, accounting for 98.11 per cent, had already been deposited with the police while 247 weapons had been exempted as per the laid down rules, leaving only 145 licensed weapons yet to be deposited as per the mandate given in the MCC and prohibitory order issued by the DM.

She has urged all arms licence owners, who had not yet deposited their licensed weapons, to hand over their licensed arms to the nearest police post or station without any further delay to avoid action. “A special screening committee to scrutinise the licensed arms licenses and gun houses has been formed and is fully functional,” Amneet said, adding that there was no gun house located within the jurisdiction of the Khanna police district.

No let-up in security, surveillance: SSP

“There is no let-up in the security and surveillance while ensuring the strict enforcement of the poll code. Adopted a zero tolerance for violation of the MCC across the district and the district police are continuing with its routine exercises as well. We have set up special nakas to conduct search and seizure operations and are taking out flag marches to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections,” said Amneet Kondal, Khanna SSP.