Interstate Cooperation Strengthening Punjab’s Fight Against Criminals and Gangsters

Under the ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, coordinated policing across states is helping Punjab tighten the noose around gangsters, smugglers and terror operatives

CHANDIGARH, June 18: Ensuring safety of the state masses, Punjab Police goes beyond their jurisdiction to strengthen their operational ties with not only the police force of the neighbouring states, but across the nation. From tracking the gangsters’ network to other states to building operation ties, the state police has achieved a massive success in breaking the backbone of the gangs and their network. Besides creating a network of intelligence-sharing and launching joint actions, the police ensure difficult times for the criminals to exploit geographical boundaries.

“We are very clear in our motto— criminals cannot just escape after committing crimes here. The Punjab Police will track them down anywhere, and will ensure justice to the victims. The operation ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ entered into the decisive 148th day of action, and we are in no case leaving wrongdoers. Arresting and identifying 37,757 troublemakers since the launch of the campaign, shows clear dedication of the state police, and their functioning towards tackling crime. I must appreciate our subordinates from other states for being a helping hand in sharing the information,” said Punjab Police DGP, Gaurav Yadav.

Gangsters operate from one state while orchestrating crimes in another, while drug traffickers follow the same module by moving consignments across multiple jurisdictions. With the number of total drug smugglers arrested reaching 68,682, Punjab Police has increasingly tuned-in one of its most effective weapons: interstate cooperation.

The strategy has become a key pillar of the state’s ongoing ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, under which Punjab Police is targeting not just individual offenders but the entire ecosystem that sustains organised crime.

Major Successes Under Interstate Coordination

* ISI-backed espionage and terror network dismantled:
One of the most significant successes came with the dismantling of an ISI-backed espionage and terror network linked to Babbar Khalsa International. The operation, carried out jointly in Punjab and Delhi, led to the arrest of 11 accused. Investigators uncovered a sophisticated network that allegedly used encrypted communication platforms and remotely operated cameras to gather and transmit sensitive information to handlers across the border.

* Action against gangster syndicates:
 The same collaborative approach has guided Punjab Police’s offensive against gangster networks under ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’. Gangster syndicates, particularly those linked to Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, maintain operatives across several states and frequently exploit interstate movement to evade arrest.

* Delhi operation:
Earlier this year, many gangsters linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang were apprehended in Delhi through coordinated action involving multiple state police forces.

* Goldy Brar extortion module busted:
Around the same time, Punjab Police dismantled an extortion module associated with Goldy Brar, arresting ten operatives and disrupting a network that extended beyond Punjab.

* Interstate robbery gang busted:
Recently, Khanna Police busted an interstate gang involved in thefts, robberies and snatching incidents across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The arrests were made in Uttar Pradesh after extensive coordination between police units.

* Drone smuggling network cracked:
In a joint interstate operation, the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) and Punjab Police arrested a Punjab-based fugitive allegedly involved in a cross-border network that smuggled illegal weapons and narcotics into India using drones from Pakistan.

* Joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police:
Recently, a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police and Punjab Police led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, and approximately 500 grams of narcotic substance from a flat in Amritsar. The operation was launched following specific intelligence received by Jammu Police regarding a wanted absconding accused. Acting on the information, teams of Jammu Police and Punjab Police conducted a raid at the flat and seized the weapons and contraband.

“Criminals and anti-national elements often operate across state boundaries, and therefore policing too has to transcend jurisdictions. Under the ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, Punjab Police has adopted a strategy of seamless coordination with sister agencies across the country. Our message is unequivocal—those who threaten peace and harmony in Punjab will find no safe haven, irrespective of where they hide,” added Yadav.

For Punjab Police, this collaborative approach is emerging as a defining feature of its fight against organised crime and an important factor in ensuring public safety across the state.