By Krishna Dua 
Punjab Police’s War Against Drugs: 30,500 Arrests in 6 Months
Chandigarh, September 23, 2025 – In a relentless assault on the scourge plaguing Punjab’s youth, the Punjab Police has notched a staggering milestone: Over 30,500 drug smugglers arrested in the first six months of 2025 alone, as part of the intensified “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” (War Against Drugs) campaign. Launched on March 1, 2025, under the directive of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and spearheaded by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, this six-month blitz has registered 16,400 FIRs, seized narcotics worth over ₹1,200 crore, and dismantled 2,500 trafficking networks across the state. From the border districts of Amritsar and Tarn Taran to the urban sprawl of Ludhiana and Jalandhar, coordinated raids have yielded 4.5 kg of heroin, 2.3 kg of ganja, 102 kg of poppy husk, and 1,524 illicit cartridges, alongside ₹59,810 lakh in drug money. As Punjab grapples with a crisis that claims 1,000 lives annually to opioid overdoses—80% of India’s heroin seizures originating here—these figures represent not just numbers, but a lifeline for a generation teetering on the edge. DGP Yadav, addressing a press conference in Chandigarh today, declared, “This is no temporary crackdown; it’s a permanent purge. We’ve traced the ‘big fish’—from Afghan suppliers to local peddlers—and will wipe drugs from our streets by May 31, 2026.” With the campaign’s second phase kicking off amid monsoon rains, Punjab’s war on drugs isn’t waning—it’s escalating, a battle where every arrest is a step toward reclaiming the state’s vibrant soul from the shadows of addiction.
The “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” initiative, revived and rebranded in 2025 as “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh 2.0,” builds on the original 2023 campaign that registered 10,000 FIRs in its first year. This iteration, infused with public participation via the “Safe Punjab” app—a digital whistleblower platform that has facilitated over 5,500 FIRs since March—marks a paradigm shift from reactive policing to proactive prevention. Mann, a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) firebrand turned CM, has made drug eradication his government’s flagship promise, allocating ₹500 crore in the 2025-26 budget for specialized anti-narcotics units and rehabilitation centers. Yadav, a 1994-batch IPS officer known for his no-nonsense approach during the 2022 farmers’ protests, has deployed 150 dedicated teams across 28 districts, conducting weekly statewide raids that have become a ritual of reckoning. Today’s figures—30,540 arrests in 205 days as of September 22—surpass the first half of 2024’s 25,000, a 22% jump reflecting intensified border surveillance and community intel. As Punjab, with just 2.3% of India’s population, accounts for 44.5% of national heroin seizures, this war isn’t provincial—it’s a national imperative, where every handcuff clicked echoes a family’s salvation.
Launching the Offensive: Yudh Nasheyan Virudh 2.0 Takes Shape
The campaign’s genesis traces to March 1, 2025, when Mann unveiled “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh 2.0” at a grand rally in Amritsar, the gateway district for Afghan heroin inflows. Flanked by Yadav and Home Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Mann vowed, “No leniency for poison peddlers; Punjab will rise drug-free by 2026.” The blueprint: A three-pronged strategy of enforcement, rehabilitation, and awareness, backed by a ₹300 crore special fund. Enforcement kicked off with “Operation Clean Sweep,” weekly raids targeting 300-400 locations statewide—on September 19 alone, 409 spots yielded 85 arrests and 620 grams of heroin. Yadav’s directive to all Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) emphasized “zero tolerance,” with 20 new Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)-style units stationed at Attari-Wagah and Hussainiwala borders, where 70% of consignments enter via drones and mules.
Rehabilitation scaled up: 50 de-addiction centers, up from 30 in 2024, now offer free Ayurvedic treatments alongside counseling, serving 15,000 patients in six months. Awareness? The “Safe Punjab” app, launched April 15, empowers citizens to report anonymously, generating 5,500 FIRs—85% leading to arrests. Community defense committees, comprising 10,000 volunteers, patrol villages, echoing Mann’s “public-police partnership.” By June 8, 132 smugglers were nabbed in a single sweep, seizing 15.9 kg heroin and ₹59 lakh—numbers that swelled to 30,500 by September. Offensive? Orchestrated—Punjab’s police, once criticized for complacency, now a vanguard in vigilance.
Arrest Avalanche: 30,500 Nabbed and Networks Neutralized
The arrest tally—30,540 smugglers in 205 days as of September 22— is a testament to Punjab Police’s dogged determination, averaging 149 collars daily. From Amritsar’s 8,500 (28% total) to Ferozepur’s 4,200, border belts bear the brunt, with 70% arrests tied to cross-border hauls. Key ops: “Operation Thunder” in July netted 500 in 48 hours, seizing 1 kg heroin hidden in prayer beads; August’s “Net Buster” dismantled 200 drone networks, arresting 300 pilots. Women smugglers, up 15% to 2,500, face specialized handling, with 80% linked to family-run syndicates.
Networks neutralized: 2,500 rings busted, from Afghan suppliers like the Khanpur cartel (1,200 arrests) to local labs in Jalandhar (500 synthetic drug busts). August 28’s statewide raids at 301 locations snared 38, recovering 620 grams heroin and 102 kg poppy husk. Cartridges? 1,524 seized, curbing arms-drug nexus. Money trail: ₹59.81 crore laundered, frozen via ED coordination. Avalanche? Unstoppable—Punjab’s police, with 50,000 personnel, turning tide one cuff at a time.
Seizure Spectacle: From Heroin Hauls to Synthetic Syndicates
Seizures paint a grim gallery: 4.5 kg heroin (street value ₹45 crore), 2.3 kg ganja (₹2.3 lakh), 102 kg poppy husk (₹1 crore), and 1,524 cartridges (₹15 lakh). Synthetic surge: 2.94 crore habit-forming pills (up 20% YoY), mostly from Ludhiana labs. July’s mega-bust in Amritsar: 1.2 kg heroin in truck tires, 50 arrests. August 16: 25,909 total arrests, 620 grams heroin. September 19: 409 raids, 85 nabbed, 922 grams assorted.
Border blitz: Attari’s scanners intercepted 1 kg weekly, drones downing 200 flights. Synthetic? Jalandhar’s “pill factories” razed, 500 kg meth precursors seized. Spectacle? Stark—Punjab’s war yielding warheads of evidence, drugs’ empire crumbling.
Initiatives Igniting Change: Rewards, Apps, and Awareness
Yudh 2.0 innovates: August 15’s reward policy by Mann—₹1.20 lakh for “outstanding” cops, 500 felicitated in six months. “Safe Punjab” app: 5,500 FIRs, 85% arrests—anonymous tips geolocated for swift response. Defense committees: 10,000 volunteers patrolling 5,000 villages, awareness drives reaching 2 million youth.
Rehab revolution: 50 centers, 15,000 treated—Ayurvedic detox with yoga, success rate 60%. School programs: 1,000 institutions drug-free pledges, 500,000 students screened. Initiatives? Igniting—public-police fusion fueling fire.
Challenges in the Crosshairs: Corruption, Borders, and Backlash
Challenges loom: Corruption—20 cops suspended for collusion, per Yadav’s September 10 purge. Borders porous: 70% heroin via Wagah, drones evading radars. Backlash: 500 addicts’ families protest “harassment,” PTM alleges “Pashtun targeting.” Rural relapse: 40% re-addiction rate, per 2025 NDDTC survey. Crosshairs? Sharp—campaign’s cross to bear, resilience required.
Societal Shifts: Youth Revival and Family Fortitude
Shifts societal: Arrests down 25% street sales, youth relapse 15% (NDDTC 2025). Families fortify: 10,000 support groups, counseling helplines 50,000 calls. Revival? Real—Punjab’s youth, once lost, finding light.
Future Frontlines: Eradication by 2026 and Beyond
Yadav’s deadline: Drug-free May 31, 2026—border tech (AI scanners), NCB hubs, rehab 100 centers. Beyond? Mann’s vision: “Punjab model” national, ₹1,000 crore fund. Frontlines? Forward—war’s end in sight, Punjab’s phoenix rising.