‘This is a fight for Punjab’s future’: Neel Garg as AAP launches anti-gangster drive
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, January 20, 2026: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday announced the launch of Punjab’s biggest-ever crackdown on organised crime, terming it a full-scale “War on Gangsters”, following what it described as the successful dismantling of drug networks under the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign.
Addressing a press conference at the party office along with AAP leader Butta Singh Bairagi, AAP Punjab spokesperson Neel Garg said the Bhagwant Mann-led government has moved from fighting drugs to eliminating gangsterism, with a zero-tolerance policy against organised crime.
Garg recalled that on March 1, 2025, the Punjab government launched a decisive war against drugs. “In the last 325 days, nearly 32,000 FIRs have been registered, thousands of drug smugglers arrested, and huge quantities of drugs and drug money seized. Today, Punjab has the highest conviction rate in the country at around 86 percent,” he claimed.
He said the drug supply chain has been “ruthlessly broken” and credited the Punjab Police and the people of the state for the success of the campaign. “This proves that when a government is honest and its intentions are clean, people stand with it and success is certain,” Garg added.
Turning to gangsterism, Garg said the problem was inherited from previous governments that allegedly patronised criminals. “Gangsterism did not emerge overnight. It was nurtured by those who provided protection, power, and even political patronage to criminals,” he alleged.
Announcing the new offensive, Garg said Punjab has launched India’s biggest-ever operation against gangsters, with 2,000 police teams comprising over 12,000 personnel conducting continuous search and chase operations across the state. “This clearly reflects our zero-tolerance policy,” he said.
“This is not politics; this is a fight for Punjab’s future,” Garg asserted. “Just as ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ gave hope to the people, this campaign against gangsters will restore a sense of safety and confidence.”
Issuing a stern warning, he said there would be no mercy for gangsters. “The era of patronage is over. The message is clear—drop weapons, leave Punjab, or go to jail,” he said.
Garg also revealed that nearly 60 gangsters operating from abroad have been identified, their local networks mapped, and strict legal action is being planned. “Whether a gangster is in Punjab, elsewhere in India, or abroad, no one will be spared. Those funding or sheltering them will face the same consequences,” he warned.
At the same time, he appealed to misguided youth to return to the mainstream, assuring them of support if they choose to abandon crime.
Seeking public cooperation, Garg urged citizens to share information through a dedicated helpline 93946-93946, stating that all inputs would go directly to the Anti-Gangster Task Force, be kept confidential, and acted upon after verification.
Taking a dig at opposition parties, Garg said those raising questions on law and order should first review the situation in states governed by their own parties. “Instead of creating hurdles, they should learn from Punjab’s model and support this fight against crime,” he added.