JALANDHAR April 4:
In order to ensure free, fair and peaceful forthcoming General Elections 2024, Special Director General of Police (Spl DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla on Thursday chalked out a foolproof strategy with the Border Security Force (BSF) to further strengthen the second line of defence and completely break the supply chain of drugs from across the border.
The Special DGP accompanied by IG Frontier Headquarters, BSF Jalandhar Dr Atul Fulzele was holding a Joint coordination meeting with the senior officers of Punjab Police, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other central agencies to review security arrangements at the Border and discuss issues pertaining to upcoming Parliamentary Elections 2024. Zonal Director NCB, ADGP State Armed Police (SAP) MF Farooqui, DIG Border Range Rakesh Kaushal and DIG Ferozepur Range Ranjit Singh Dhillon also attended the meeting.
Giving a call for greater synergy and teamwork between BSF and Punjab Police, Spl DGP Arpit Shukla exhorted both forces to work as one team to ensure free and fair elections in the border state.
He said that being positioned at the first line of defence, the BSF needs to be more alert to prevent smuggling and infiltration bids by militants, terrorists or smugglers. He also ordered to enhance the number of Police personnel deployed on night patrolling along the International border.
The Spl DGP advised the BSF to use drone detection technology to counter the Drone operations at Punjab borders, which have emerged as the new modus operandi to smuggle drugs from across the border. He also directed all the SSPs of border districts to conduct regular meetings with Village Level Defence Committee (VLDC) members and sensitise field staff and VLDC members to keep a strict vigil on the movement of drones.
As per the information, there were 325 drone sightings across the border in 2023, of which 118 drones were successfully recovered. Similarly, 26 drones have been recovered in 2024 so far.
Sharing details on security arrangements for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections, Spl DGP Arpit Shukla said that security has been beefed up across the state and Punjab Police has mobilised 75 percent from district police and 50% police force from other units for deployment during elections.
He said that the Punjab Police have already laid well-coordinated strong inter-state nakas at all the sealing points of 10 border districts in the state to stop the menace of liquor and drug smuggling. The 10 inter-state border districts include Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Ropar, SAS Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.
He said that the 25 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in vulnerable districts of the state to instil confidence among the general public as well as to dominate sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas in the state. The 25 companies include five coys of Central Reserved Police Forces (CRPF), 15 coys of Border Security Force (BSF) and five coys of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
