Patiala: As part of the Punjab government’s ongoing ‘War on Gangsters’ campaign aimed at strengthening law and order and dismantling criminal networks, the Patiala Police on Thursday carried out a major surprise operation across sensitive areas and jails in the district.
Acting on strict instructions from the Punjab Director General of Police, the police conducted an intensive cordon and search operation without any prior notice. The special drive involved a force of 100 male and 20 female police personnel, with senior officers at the DSP and SHO levels personally leading the operation.
SP City Patiala Palvinder Cheema said the timing of the checks was deliberately kept random to ensure that criminals did not get an opportunity to hide or destroy illegal material. He said the primary focus of the operation was to curb suspicious activities being carried out from within jails.
The key priorities of the drive included preventing the use of mobile phones and other prohibited items inside prisons, conducting thorough searches in high-security zones using metal detectors and other modern equipment, and keeping close surveillance on history-sheeters and known criminals through random blockades and checks.
Police officials said that during previous inspections, a significant quantity of illegal material had been recovered, following which strict cases were registered. They warned that if any prohibited items or weapons are found during the ongoing operation, immediate and strict legal action will be taken without any leniency.
“The sole objective of this campaign is to further strengthen law and order in Punjab and instil fear of the law among criminal elements,” Cheema said.
According to the police administration, detailed information regarding the outcome of the operation and any recoveries made will be shared after the completion of the checks.
