Decline in Punjab's crime rate in 2022, claims IG Sukhchain Singh Gill
Says Punjab Police committed to making Punjab drugs, crime-free
Chandigarh, December 26: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IG) Sukhchain Singh Gill on Monday said the crime rate in Punjab had witnessed a sharp decline under the able administration of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the supervision of DGP Gaurav Yadav.
According to the official crime data of the state vis-a-vis its comparison with the figures from the previous year, the number of murders this year has reduced from 723 in 2021 to 654 in 2022 whereas kidnappings have decreased from 1,787 in 2021 to 1,645 in 2022.
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Similarly, theft-related cases have also been reduced from 8,417 in 2021 to 8,407 in 2022, and cases related to the Excise Act have decreased from 10,745 in 2021 to 9,104 in 2022. The data also shows a significant decline in the total number of FIRs registered in the state from 73,581 in 2021 to 71,827 in 2022.
IG Sukhchain Singh Gill said during 2022, the Internal Security busted 18 terror modules with the arrest of 119 terrorist/radicals after recovering 43 rifles, 220 revolvers/pistols, 13 tiffin improvised explosive device (IEDs), 24.5 kg RDX and other explosives, 37 hand grenades, two sleeves of disposed rocket launcher, 22 drones and 23 vehicles.
He said the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), since its formation on April 6, 2022, had succeeded in busting 111 gangster/criminal modules after arresting 428 gangsters/criminals and neutralising two, after recovering 411 weapons, 97 vehicles used in criminal activities, 44.21 kg heroin and Rs 1.30 crore money.
The IGP said from January 1 to December 20, 2022, five major incidents had taken place in Punjab — an IED blast at Police Post Kalwa, PS Noorpur Bedi, Ropar; RPG attack at Intelligence Headquarters building at Mohali; Murder of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moosewala; Killing of Bargari sacrilege accused Pardeep Kumar and RPG attack at PS Sarhali, Tarn Taran. The Punjab Police had effectively solved all these major crimes, he added.
IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill, who has been holding weekly press conferences to update people on drug recovery, said the Punjab Government was committed to making Punjab a drug-free state and extensive anti-drug drives had been launched by the Punjab Police to combat the menace of drugs from the border state.
On yearly updates on drugs, the IGP said from January 1 to December 25, 2022, the Punjab Police arrested 16,798 drug smugglers/suppliers, including 2,316 big fish after registering 12,171 FIRs, including 1,374 commercials.
He said that under the ongoing special drive to arrest POs/absconders in NDPS cases, the Punjab Police arrested 955 POs/absconders since January 1, 2022.
IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also increased the ex-gratia amount to Rs 1 crore to be given to the families of police personnel in case of death in the line of duty. Recently, two cheques for Rs 2 crore (Rs 1 crore each) were handed over to the family of slain Punjab Police constable Mandeep Singh, who attained martyrdom in the line of duty.
The Rs 2 crore amount includes Rs 1 crore as ex-gratia by the state government, whereas, another payment of insurance cover worth Rs 1 crore was to be made by the HDFC bank. Meanwhile, the Punjab Government has also enhanced the budget allocation for police welfare from Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore.
ACTION AGAINST TERRORISTS
Terror Modules Busted: 18
Terrorists/Radicals Arrested: 119
Total Rifles recovered: 43
Total Revolvers/Pistols recovered: 220
Total Tiffin IEDs recovered: 13
RDX and other explosives recovery: 24.5Kg
Total Hand Grenades recovered: 37
Drones recovered: 22
ACTION AGAINST GANGSTERS
Total Modules Busted: 111
Gangsters/Criminals Arrested: 428
Gangsters/Criminals Neutralised: 2
Weapons Recovered: 411
Heroin Recovered from Gangsters: 44.21Kg
Vehicles Recovered: 97
Unaccounted Money Recovered: Rs 1.30 crores
ACTION AGAINST DRUGS
Total drug smugglers/Suppliers Arrested: 16798
Big Fish Arrested: 2316
Total FIRs Registered: 12171
Total Commercial Quantity FIRs: 1374
Total Heroin Recovered: 729.5Kg
Total Opium Recovered: 690Kg
Total Ganja Recovered: 1396Kg
Total Poppy Husk Recovered: 518 Quintals
Total tablets/capsules/injections/vials of Pharma opioids Recovered: 60.13 lakh
Total Drug Money Recovered: Rs 11.59 crores
Total Arrest of Proclaimed Offenders/Absconders in NDPS cases: 955
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FIVE HIGH-PROFILE CASES EFFECTIVELY SOLVED IN 2022
IED blast at Police Post Kalwa, PS Noorpur Bedi, Ropar
RPG attack at Intelligence Headquarters building at Mohali
Murder of Punjabi Singer Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moosewala
Killing of Bargari sacrilege accused Pardeep Kumar
RPG attack at PS Sarhali, Tarn Taran