Chandigarh, 09 June (H.S.): In a major boost to Punjab’s fight against drug trafficking, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday inaugurated a series of advanced technical and intelligence facilities at the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Police Station in SAS Nagar. The newly established infrastructure includes a state-of-the-art Special Intelligence & Technical Unit (SITU), aimed at enhancing intelligence gathering and scientific investigation capabilities.

Accompanied by Special DGP ANTF Kuldeep Singh and ADGP ANTF Nilabh Kishore, the DGP also inaugurated the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) Room, Interrogation Room, MHC Room and the Office of the DSP. The facilities are expected to significantly strengthen anti-narcotics operations across the state.

The ANTF Police Station building, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann in August 2024, has now evolved into a modern investigation and intelligence centre serving as a key hub for anti-drug enforcement activities in Punjab.

Speaking on the occasion, DGP Gaurav Yadav said the newly inaugurated facilities would enhance scientific investigations, digital evidence analysis, intelligence collection, technical surveillance and access to criminal databases. These upgrades, he noted, will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of narcotics-related investigations.

Highlighting the state’s ongoing efforts to modernise anti-drug enforcement, the DGP said that advanced ANTF office complexes are already operational in Patiala, Jalandhar and Bathinda. Similar facilities are under construction in Ludhiana and Ferozepur, while plans for a dedicated ANTF complex in Amritsar are progressing, with land already identified.

He further revealed that the Punjab Government has invested ₹11.50 crore each during the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26 to upgrade surveillance systems, communication infrastructure, cyber intelligence capabilities and digital investigation tools. An additional ₹14.16 crore has also been allocated to further strengthen ANTF’s technical capabilities.

The DGP also announced that ANTF Punjab has been designated as the State NCORD Secretariat, making it the nodal agency for coordination among departments and enforcement agencies in the fight against drugs. Reaffirming Punjab Police’s commitment to a drug-free state, he said intelligence-led policing and modern technology would play a crucial role in dismantling narcotics networks and disrupting drug supply chains.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH