Drug traffickers shifting to Haryana, claims Cheema

Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday claimed that the state government’s strong anti-drug campaign has forced many drug traffickers to move their operations to neighbouring Haryana. He said the ongoing drive, titled ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, is breaking the networks that earlier operated freely in Punjab.

Speaking at a press conference in Chandigarh, Cheema said the AAP government launched the campaign soon after coming to power in 2022 under chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. According to him, continuous action by police and agencies has tightened pressure on drug smugglers across the state.

Campaign impact

Cheema said the government’s sustained crackdown is showing clear results on the ground. “As the noose tightens in Punjab, traffickers are fleeing and making Haryana their new base,” he claimed.

He added that a special sub-committee was formed to monitor the campaign and coordination meetings were held across districts. The minister also said that more than 1.5 lakh members of Village Defence Committees recently took an oath to support the anti-drug movement.

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Political allegations

The finance minister alleged that the drug problem had spread widely in Punjab during the SAD-BJP government between 2007 and 2017. He further claimed that a similar pattern of drug activity is now becoming visible in Haryana.

Reaffirming the government’s stand, Cheema said Punjab would not allow drug mafias to regroup. He also stressed that police officers who are taking honest action against narcotics networks must be protected and supported.