Punjab Director General of Police MF Farooqui on Tuesday said comprehensive security arrangements had been made ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state, with approximately 1,200-1,300 personnel deployed.
Speaking about the security arrangements in Gurdaspur, Farooqui said adequate arrangements have been made to ensure security during the visit.
“We have made very comprehensive arrangements. Full security measures are in place here. An adequate number of personnel have been deployed, approximately 1200-1300 personnel have been deployed,” he said.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will meet the families of people who recently lost their lives after raising their voices against drug traffickers in Punjab’s Mansa, Sangrur and Gurdaspur districts on October 20 and would meet the bereaved families of those who had spoken out against the illegal drug trade.
Expressing his condolences, Shah said the pain of the families who had lost their loved ones was beyond words. He asserted that attempts to silence voices raised against the drug trade would never succeed and that the people of Punjab would give a strong response to those responsible.
Shah further stated that the Government of India would identify and send drug traffickers to prison and reiterated its commitment to making Punjab, along with the rest of the country, free from the menace of drugs.
The proposed meetings come amid the political debate over drug trafficking in Punjab, with the BJP targeting the AAP government over the issue and demanding stronger action against those involved in the illegal drug trade.
In a post on X, Shah accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of pushing Punjab deeper into the drug crisis, alleging that its policies have contributed to the loss of many young lives. He alleged that drug traffickers dealing in ‘chitta’ (a commonly used term for heroin in Punjab) were flourishing under the AAP government’s protection.