Haryana Police have registered 174 cases and arrested 285 people during last three and half months period under a special campaign ‘Prabal Prahar’ being carried out against drug peddlers in Sirsa district.

While stating this on Tuesday, a spokesman of Police Department said large quantity of narcotic substance including 3.700 kilogram (kg) heroin,14.368 kg opium, 24.340 kg ganja, over 1548 kg of poppy husk and doda post, over 1.58 lakh restricted drug pills, 24,390 intoxication capsules and 1004 restricted injections were recovered by the police during this period.

He said that following the directives of Director General of Police, BS Sandhu to tighten the noose around the criminals and antinational elements, Haryana Police is taking strict action to completely curb smuggling of narcotics especially in the bordering areas with Rajasthan and Punjab.

Sandhu also congratulated the police personnel for the wonderful work done for freeing the district of drug menace.

Apart from taking stern action against drug smugglers, he said that Police is also making aware the general public about the ill effects of drug addiction.

People of the district, social organisations, youth clubs and panchayat representatives have also been urged to join this campaign and ensure more involvement, so that a completely drug-free and crime-free society could be established.

The spokesman said that stern action being undertaken by Haryana Police against drug peddlers in the state especially in Sirsa district are now being appreciated by other states too in the northern region.

During the first regional conference held in Chandigarh on Monday, seven states agreed to set up a permanent secretariat in Panchkula for constant monitoring of crackdown on drug peddlers.

Convened by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar the conference was attended by Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, Uttarakhand CM TS Rawat while Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur participating through video conference.

Representatives of Rajasthan, Delhi and Union Territory Chandigarh also attended the conference. Meanwhile, in yet another crackdown on drug peddlers, Haryana Police today arrested five persons after 30 gram heroin and 3300 banned capsules were recovered from them in district Sirsa.