The Indian Panorama

Tag: NDPS

  • Fund crunch : Centre must liberally aid Punjab in its drug fight

    At the first National Conference of Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Force of States and Union Territories held in April, Union Home Minister Amit Shah outlined the broad set of strategies to achieve the goal of making India drug-free by 2047. Among the impressive plans, the need for all states to fight the battle in a coordinated manner, rising above politics, stood out. Towards this end, he advised the states to optimally use not only the central funds available for narcotics control but also those from the police modernization kitty to carry out narco-related upgradation of forensic science laboratories.

    However, the ground reality points to disparity in the grant of funds in the past five years. Punjab, Delhi and Chhattisgarh — all non-BJP-ruled states — were deprived of grants for narcotics control during this period, as per data shared in Parliament. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh got substantial amounts to tackle the drug menace, even though Punjab, being a border state, is more vulnerable to narco-terror. This is amply clear from the grim statistics of 2022 — after Kerala, Punjab saw the second highest number of arrests under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

    Punjab should step up efforts to secure its due share of the central funds, while the Centre must loosen its purse strings for this endeavor. It will give a much-needed boost to the multi-pronged fight against the menace. The combat encompasses a slew of activities, ranging from catching the drug lords to rehabilitating the unfortunate youth addicted to substance abuse and scientifically disposing of the huge amounts of drugs seized by various agencies. Funds are the key to the success of any anti-drug campaign.
    (Tribune, India)

  • Indo-Canadian Gangsters a headache for Punjab Police

    Indo-Canadian Gangsters a headache for Punjab Police

    AMRITSAR / TORONTO (TIP): Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa has around 20 criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, firing and NDPS Act, registered against him. He originally hails from Harike in Tarn Taran district. Despite the fact that he was facing a number of criminal cases, he managed to escape to foreign shores a couple of years ago, thereby raising a question mark on the intelligence. The Punjab Police have started procedure for his extradition and opening of red corner circular against him. A senior police official said gangsters, including Landa, who had escaped to foreign shores had become a headache for the Punjab Police. They have been running an extortion racket in association with their accomplices. As they contact each other through social media it is not easy to nail them. Though Tarn Taran police had registered only one FIR, there has been several complaints against him in which he extorted huge amounts while threatening traders, colonizers, doctors, hospital owners and other rich people in the region as ransom.

    His name also figured during the interrogation of gangster Daya Singh, aka Preet Sekhon, who was nabbed in a joint operation by Amritsar rural police and Organized Crime Control Unit (OCCU) in July last year.

    He along with his aide Jarmanjit Singh, alias Nikka Khaduria, of Chamba Khurd village in Tarn Taran, was nabbed in Chamiari village of Ajnala. The police seized five country-made pistols, double barrel rifle and three mobile phones and a car from them. They also arrested Gurlal Singh of Kamalpur village in Tarn Taran for sheltering him. During his probe, it was found that Preet Sekhon at the behest of Landa had extorted amounts to the tune of several crores from at least 25 persons which were deposited in a foreign bank account of an international-level Hawala operator. Ironically, victims prefer not to lodge a complaint fearing for their lives, police sources said. Landa’s name was also figured as a key conspirator in the killing of two Akali workers in Patti last year. Immediate after the incident, Tarn Taran police wrote to the Central Government for issuing red corner circular against him. Gulneet Singh Khuranna, SSP, Tarn Taran, said they had urged our higher officials for taking up the matter with the Central Government for speeding up the process of opening red corner circular against him for his extradition. Besides Landa, the police have also received a complaint against another fugitive gangster, Arsh Dhalla, for demanding ransom, he said.