DIG instructs cops to deal with drug smugglers strictly

Phagwara, June 15

Acting swiftly on the orders of Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on the transfer policy, over 500 police personnel to the rank of Assistant Sub Inspectors, Head Constables and Constables have been reshuffled in Jalandhar Range. At least 106 police personnel have been transferred in Jalandhar Rural, 233 in Hoshiarpur and 180 in Kapurthala district.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Jalandhar Range Harmanbir Singh Gill while talking to The Tribune in Phagwara on Saturday, said all cops from constable rank to higher rank would not be deputed in their home towns.

The DIG directed the officers to clear the backlog of unsettled cases and complete the pending investigations. He asked them to resolve pending complaints in time-bound manner as per the order of the high court. He ordered officers to launch a special drive to apprehend all the Proclaimed Offenders and accused persons involved in heinous crimes. He also directed the SSPs to visit the crime spots where religious sentiments are involved to handle the situation tenderly.

The DIG asked the officers to identify big smugglers and take strict action against them to break the supply chain. He also directed them to make the maximum use of Section 68F of the NDPS Act to freeze illegally acquired property by drug suppliers. He categorically asked the SSPs not to spare any police personnel found involved in corruption or hand in glove with the drug smugglers. Departmental action and exemplary punishment must be ensured against such black sheep, he said. DIG Harmanbir Singh Gill directed all the SSPs, gazetted officers and SHOs to comply with the orders of Punjab DGP and remain available at their offices from 11am to 1pm on all working days to resolve public grievances. He asked all the SHOs to connect with the public and be accessible to them to ensure citizen-friendly policing while ensuring that any anti-social element was not be spared at any cost. He also ordered SHOs to reach their respective police stations at 8am and ensure the morning briefing of the Police force deployed.

Following the orders of Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against drugs and organised crime, DIG Gill categorically ordered all the officers of his range to deal with drug smugglers and criminals with an iron hand. Earlier, the DIG held a meeting with the SSPs, SPs, DSPs and SHOs of the districts, including Jalandhar Rural, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur to take stock of pending crime investigations, daily crime monitoring, day-to-day working, general pendency and law and order situation.