Punjab police steps up security with statewide operation for Lohri festival

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], January 13 (ANI): Punjab Police on Monday conducted a cordon and search operation (CASO) at all the bus stands across the state to inspect the security situation amid the Lohri celebrations, said an official statement.
The operation was carried out on the directions of the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, from 2 pm to 4 pm simultaneously in all 28 police districts.
Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla, who was personally monitoring this state-level operation, said that all the CPs/SSPs were asked to ensure heavy deployment of police force under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (SP) rank officers to make this operation successful.
Special DGP Shukla stated that police teams, assisted by sniffer dogs, conducted thorough checks on individuals arriving and departing at bus stands. He added that some suspicious persons were also detained for verification.
"We had strictly instructed all the police personnel to deal with every person in a friendly and polite manner while frisking them during the course of this operation," he added.
The special DGP, Yadav, said that as many as 493 parties, involving over 3500 police personnel, were deputed across the state to look for suspicious persons at different bus stands in the state while ensuring minimum inconvenience to the general public.
Approximately 3,514 people were checked during the operation conducted at around 249 bus stands across the state. Police teams have also rounded up 77 individuals for questioning, he added.
Police teams have also registered three criminal cases during the operation and also recovered 950 grams of poppy husk, 70 bottles of illicit liquor and 120 tablets of alprazolam, he added.
He said that during the operation, police teams have also conducted checking of vehicles stationed at and around the bus stands. As many as 318 vehicles were challaned and 17 vehicles have been impounded by the teams, he added.
Special DGP Arpit Shukla reiterated that such operations would continue to ensure peace and harmony in the border state. (ANI)