‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’: Targeting Both - Supply and Demand, Punjab Will Soon Be Drug-Free - Aman Arora
Around 2,100 kg of drugs, including heroin, opium, ganja, and poppy husk, seized so far under this campaign
2248 FIRs lodged and 3957 drug traffickers arrested under NDPS Act; 48 properties demolished
Aman Arora appeals to Punjab’s Panchayat leaders, Sarpanches, and social workers – Do not support individuals involved in drug trafficking
Support groups are being set up for drug-affected individuals, followed by skill development courses to provide employment - Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh
Government focusing on creating employment opportunities to prevent youth from turning back to drugs – Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh
Chandigarh, March 25, 2025:
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab President and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora shared the success of the Punjab government’s anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh', and provided details of police actions up to March 24 during a media interaction.
On Tuesday, Aman Arora, along with his Cabinet Colleagues Dr. Balbir Singh and Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, addressed a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh, regarding this campaign. Aman Arora said that the results of the ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign have been extremely encouraging, and its positive impact is being seen across Punjab. He stated that people are praising the Punjab government for this campaign and are openly cooperating with the government and local administration.
He appreciated the efforts of the Punjab Police in making this campaign successful and said that the police are conducting this operation with exceptional efficiency. So far, approximately 2,100 kg of narcotics, including heroin, opium, ganja, and charas, have been seized, and thousands of drug traffickers have been arrested.
In addition, a significant amount of cash has also been recovered. Under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 2248 FIRs have been registered, and 3957 drug traffickers have been arrested.
Under the campaign, approximately 7.65 lakh intoxicating tablets, 1.25 kg of ice, about 500 bottles of illicit liquor, 7 kg of intoxicating powder, and over 300 injections have also been seized by the police. Furthermore, 44 buildings of individuals involved in drug trafficking have been demolished, and 49 individuals have been injured during police counteractions.
Aman Arora stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the AAP government is fully committed to eradicating drugs from Punjab. The government has prepared a comprehensive strategy to achieve this goal. Both the supply and demand fronts of the drug problem are being addressed. The police are breaking the drug supply chain, while the health department is providing appropriate treatment to individuals affected by drug addiction to eliminate demand. He expressed confidence that with the ongoing efforts, Punjab will soon become completely drug-free.
Aman Arora appealed to Punjab’s Panchayat leaders, Sarpanches, and social organizations to support the government in this campaign against drugs and not provide any assistance to individuals involved in drug trafficking.
Support groups are being set up for drug-affected individuals, followed by skill development courses to provide employment - Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh
Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh stated that a three-tier approach is being implemented to tackle this problem. Individuals affected by drug addiction are being treated through oral medication. All necessary arrangements have been made at de-addiction centers for the treatment of affected individuals.
Secondly, support groups are being formed for individuals affected by drugs to take appropriate steps and assist them during emergencies. In the third phase, there are skill development courses to provide them with employment. The government’s Youth Welfare and Skill Development Department is working in collaboration with the health department for this purpose.
The government is also focusing on creating employment opportunities to prevent youth from turning back to drugs – Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh
Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh stated that alongside eradicating drugs, the government’s focus is on creating large-scale employment opportunities to prevent youth from reverting to drug addiction. He said that unemployment is one of the major reasons for the widespread prevalence of drugs. He cited few examples of areas where drugs and crime cases are less because there are better employment opportunities.