The Delhi Metro’s Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 Metro Station on the Pink Line has been officially renamed ‘Shree Ram Mandir Mayur Vihar’, an official said on Saturday.

“The Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 Metro Station in East Delhi has been renamed as Shree Ram Mandir Mayur Vihar,” the official said, adding that the decision was taken by the State Names Authority (SNA) Committee.

The station falls on the Shiv Vihar–Majlis Park corridor of the Delhi Metro’s Pink Line.

Currently, the Delhi Metro facilitates an average of around 65 lakh passenger journeys daily. At present, it operates 12 lines spanning nearly 395 kilometres, covering 289 stations across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Election Commission of India has clarified that a permanent resident certificate is an acceptable document for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list, but only if it is issued by specified authorities.

In a letter sent on Saturday to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, the commission said that only certificates issued by the District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Officer, and, in the case of Kolkata, the Collector will be treated as valid for the SIR process.

The commission noted that permanent resident certificates can be issued by various authorities, including local public representatives and different government offices.

However, it has now clearly defined which certificates will be accepted for SIR-related work. It also stated that all such certificates must be prepared in accordance with the West Bengal government rules framed in 1999.

The letter directed the CEO’s office to ensure strict compliance with these instructions and to inform all officers engaged in SIR duties accordingly.

The reason behind issuing this clarification is not yet known. Officials pointed out that apart from the authorities mentioned by the commission, certificates are often issued by local representatives or block development offices.

It is believed that the clarification was issued to remove confusion over which certificates should be considered valid during the SIR exercise.

As per the earlier schedule, Saturday was the last day for hearings under the SIR process in the state.

However, reports till Friday suggested that hearings had not been completed in all areas. This has raised questions about a possible extension of the deadline.

Until the time of filing this report, the commission had not announced any final decision on the matter.

Another Madhyamik examinee was caught with a cell phone inside an exam hall today, this time in Bankura.

West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) Chairman Ramanuj Ganguly, after inspecting Panagarh Hindi High School during the examinations, remarked: “It is unfortunate that students are failing to understand that such deliberate mistakes will invite harsh penalties for them.”

Ganguly also visited Ajhapur High School in East Burdwan, where eight teaching and non-teaching staff, including the headmaster, were suspended for allegedly assaulting School Inspector Prashanta Kabiraj. The inspector had earlier caught a Group-D employee using a cell phone inside the strongroom during the exams on 3 February.

At Jhujhka High School exam centre in Chhatna block, a girl candidate from Chandidas Vidyapith was found with a cell phone hidden under her seat during her geography paper. The invigilator seized the device, and her answer script was cancelled, said Gautam Das, Convenor of WBBSE.

Yesterday, another student, Preetam Haldar of Bharati Bhawan, Katwa, was caught with a cell phone while appearing for exams at Durgadasi Chowdhurani Balika Vidyalaya in Katwa. WBBSE representative Sanjoy Saha confirmed that his paper was scrapped and the phone confiscated.

The board has reiterated that strict measures will continue against malpractice, warning students that possession of cell phones inside exam halls will lead to immediate cancellation of papers.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union minister for railways, information & broadcasting, and electronics & information technology, will inaugurate the Siuri road over bridge, dedicate the Kumarpur road over bridge to the nation, and flag off the new Asansol-Bokaro train service via video conferencing on 8 February.

He will be joined by Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. These projects represent a major boost to rail infrastructure, safety, and regional connectivity in West Bengal and adjoining areas.

The newly-built road over bridge replacing level crossing No. 22B/T near Siuri railway station has been completed at a cost of Rs 42 crore. It will eliminate long delays at the crossing, ensuring smoother daily travel for residents of Siuri and nearby areas. The bridge will also enhance safety by removing a busy level crossing and ease traffic congestion around Siuri station, benefiting students, workers, and commuters.

Another key addition is the road over bridge replacing Level Crossing No. 1Spl/E between Barachak and Hirapur Yard Line, constructed at a cost of Rs 54.83 crore. Situated on the GT Road corridor, it provides a vital link between central Asansol, West Burdwan district, and Jharkhand. The bridge will facilitate faster trade and traffic movement, reduce congestion, and improve commuting conditions for local residents.

On the same occasion, a new train service between Asansol and Bokaro Steel City will be flagged off, strengthening connectivity between two of India’s major steel hubs. Both cities host major SAIL establishments, and the service will directly benefit industrial workers, commuters, and residents. Running via West Burdwan and Purulia districts in West Bengal and Bokaro district in Jharkhand, the train is expected to serve a large passenger base, supporting regional economic activity and social integration.

A day after an arrest warrant was issued against Akhtar Ali, former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, he appeared in court on Saturday.

He was brought from a hospital in Howrah. But he could not surrender as the court had closed at 12.30 p.m. He is said to appear in court again on Monday.

While entering the court, he said: “The money that I am being accused of taking, I borrowed for my grandfather’s treatment. Now I am being framed as part of a conspiracy.”

However, Akhtar did not take his lawyer with him and also did not inform the court in advance before arriving from the hospital. Since the court had closed at 12.30 pm, the former government official returned without surrendering.

“I am still sick. I was in the hospital. I did not have my mobile. So, I did not know that the court would be closed today. I came, but bad luck. The court has told me to surrender on Monday. I will act accordingly. If I get into trouble, they will arrest me. If they drag me to the court, then that will happen,” he said.

A special CBI court on Friday issued an arrest warrant against Akhtar Ali, who had been the first whistle-blower in the multi-crore financial irregularities case at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, which had also come under scrutiny following the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor within the hospital premises in August 2024.

Ali, the former Deputy Superintendent of RG Kar, was the first to raise an alarm over the alleged involvement of former principal Sandip Ghosh in the financial irregularities case.

Based on his petition, a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into the matter. Later, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also initiated a parallel investigation.

A massive fire broke out in the Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory building in the Nampally area here on Saturday, damaging computers and hard disks, raising apprehensions that crucial evidence of important cases might be lost.

According to Director General of the Fire Department Vikram Singh Mann, the blaze, prima facie, was caused by a short circuit in the electrical switchboard of the computer room on the first floor. However, there was no casualty.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao insinuated that the fire incident at the FSL, where forensic evidence of many crucial cases was stored, was a deliberate one.

The fire started a little after 10 am with thick smoke engulfing the three-storey building. Around three to four staff members present in the building ran out in panic. An office boy tried to douse the fire using handheld fire extinguishers but fell sick after inhaling the smoke and was to be hospitalised. Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control before it spread to the second storey, which contained the chemical lab.

DG (fire services) Vikram Singh Mann said, “It is quite an old building, built in 1978 or 1980. Prima facie, it appears the fire began in the electrical switchboard of the computer room on the first floor.” With the approach of the summer season, fire teams will conduct safety inspections at various residential, commercial and government buildings across the city as a preventive measure, he assured.

However, the BRS working president raised questions about the fire. As one of his party spokespersons wondered what was being destroyed in this fire, Rao wrote on his ‘X’ account, “I am guessing voice recordings of the famous ‘vote for note’ case. And trying to cover up for lack of evidence in cooked-up political cases like phone tapping.”

In a massive showdown, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) walked out of the Assembly on Saturday after the ruling Trinamul Congress initiated a breach of privilege motion against BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul over her comments on madrasa education and spending on minority welfare during the Budget debate.

The row traces back to the previous day’s discussion on the state Budget, when Paul, the Asansol South MLA, questioned the enhanced allocation for madrasa education and minority development schemes.

Terming the policy “appeasement,” she asked whether madrasa education had produced professionals such as doctors or engineers and went on to allege that minority welfare initiatives were fostering criminality.

Her remarks triggered immediate chaos in the House, with senior ministers, including Firhad Hakim, Javed Khan and Aroop Biswas demanding that the statements be struck off the official record.

In a continuation of Friday’s row, the Trinamul’s legislative wing formally moved a privilege notice against Paul on the fourth day of the Budget session on Saturday.

Moving the motion, the party’s minister for parliamentary affairs argued that Paul’s comments were unparliamentary, offensive to a specific community and detrimental to the dignity of the legislature.

Speaker Biman Banerjee admitted the notice and said the issue would be examined before a decision was delivered. His announcement was met with loud objections from BJP members.

In the absence of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLAs accused the ruling party of using its majority to silence criticism.

They maintained that scrutinising government expenditure was a legitimate role of the Opposition and alleged that procedural provisions were being deployed selectively.

There was a heated exchange of words between the Speaker and the BJP legislators. Though the Speaker repeatedly appealed for order and warned against disruptions, the opposition MLAs continued on with the agitation.

Banerjee said that the Assembly would not permit remarks that were communal or derogatory, stressing the need to preserve the decorum of the House.

Dissatisfied with the Speaker’s stance, BJP legislators walked out and assembled in the corridors, holding placards and raising slogans against what they described as partisan conduct.

Speaking to reporters, the BJP MLAs said that the privilege motion was being used to deter uncomfortable questions.

The Trinamul Congress, however, said that the walkout was a calculated move to derail proceedings and seek publicity.

“The BJP is avoiding substantive debate and is indulging in theatrics. The legislative discussions must adhere to constitutional values and secular principles,” a Trinamul Congress MLA said.

The contrasting scenes of confrontation inside the chamber and protests outside ensured a charged atmosphere through the day. The focus now shifts to the Speaker’s forthcoming decision on the privilege motion and the Opposition’s next course of action.

Hundreds of sanitation workers of the Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC), covering all 106 wards, have been on strike for eight consecutive days, demanding higher wages and other benefits. The strike has paralysed the city’s sanitation system, with garbage piling up across Asansol. Opposition parties have staged protests, accusing the civic authorities of negligence.

Asansol, with a population of nearly 1.4 million, generates around 694 tonnes of solid waste daily. Despite the worsening situation, AMC has refused to raise wages, though it has shown willingness to consider other demands. Officials have warned that strict action will be taken if workers do not resume duties immediately.

Mayor Bidhan Upadhyay convened a meeting with AMC Chairman Amarnath Chatterjee, borough chairmen, and councillors to discuss the crisis. He later stated that sanitation workers currently receive Rs 357 per day plus Rs 50 towards provident fund contributions, amounting to Rs 407 daily—higher than in any other municipal corporation in Bengal. He stressed that a wage hike had been ruled out for two years following last year’s agreement, citing AMC’s financial constraints.

The Mayor acknowledged public hardship due to the strike but said the corporation was sympathetically considering demands related to provident fund and ESI benefits. He added that alternative arrangements were being explored to clear garbage, emphasising that while dismissals were not intended, protecting public health remained the civic body’s responsibility.

Meanwhile, the West Burdwan district administration is monitoring the situation. On Friday, Sub-Divisional Officer (Sadar) Biswajit Bhattacharya met AMC officials on the instructions of District Magistrate S Ponnabalam. The administration will decide its next steps after reviewing the Mayor’s meeting outcomes.

The Asansol North Assembly Youth Congress also staged a protest, demanding a permanent solution. In the Mayor’s absence, its members pasted a memorandum on his chamber door, along with photographs of garbage-strewn streets. Youth Congress president Gaurab Roy warned that if the issue is not resolved swiftly, a larger movement will be launched, holding the municipal administration responsible for the worsening public health risks.

With the window for disposing of claims and objections to West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls closing on Saturday, election officials are weighing short extensions in about 15 Assembly constituencies where the process is yet to be wrapped up.

These constituencies are largely spread across three election districts—minority-dominated Malda, coastal South 24-Parganas, and Kolkata (North).

Officials said the District Electoral Officers (DEOs) from these areas have already moved formal proposals seeking additional time, placing their requests before Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal.

A senior official in the CEO’s office indicated that the final call would depend on the pace of hearings till Saturday.

Based on the ground situation, the CEO is expected to forward his recommendation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi for approving brief extensions, possibly for a couple of days.

Meanwhile, the revision exercise has flagged a substantial number of voters for removal.

By Friday evening, more than four lakh names had been marked for deletion from the final electoral roll after the individuals concerned failed to appear before hearing officers despite repeated notices.

Officials said around 50,000 of these fell under the category of “unmapped” voters, those who could not establish any verifiable connection with the 2002 voters’ list through either self-mapping or progeny-based mapping.

Another nearly 3.5 lakh cases involve “logical discrepancies”, where inconsistencies were detected in family linkage data during the progeny-mapping process.

The ongoing scrutiny follows the publication of the draft rolls in December, when as many as 58.2 lakh names were struck off after being identified as belonging to deceased persons, shifted voters, or duplicate entries.

The exact scale of deletions will be known once the final electoral rolls are released on 14 February.

After the final list is published, a full Bench of the Election Commission of India is slated to visit West Bengal to review the situation on the ground.

Poll dates for the Assembly elections, due later this year, are expected to be announced thereafter.

Separately, the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is set to come up before a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on Monday.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to again present her arguments, as she did during the previous hearing on 4 February.

Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the West Bengal government, alleging that the state Budget was anti-development and detrimental to the future of the youth.

Addressing reporters at the BJP party office in Siliguri, Rai said the Budget presented by the Mamata Banerjee-led government would neither contribute to the development of West Bengal nor aid the country’s overall progress. “The Budget has been designed in a way that pushes the future of the youth into darkness,” he said, describing the state government as “oppressive”.

The Union minister further alleged that the state Budget was aimed at supporting infiltrators rather than promoting genuine development, and claimed that such policies had put the West Bengal government in political trouble. “Alarm bells have started ringing for the state government,” Rai remarked.

Drawing a contrast, Rai said the Union Budget had been framed with the long-term vision of India@2047, focusing on inclusive development of both the country and West Bengal. He highlighted several key proposals announced in the Union Budget, including the Siliguri-Varanasi high-speed rail project.

Rai also referred to a proposed 40-km underground rail connectivity from the strategically important Chicken’s Neck area in Siliguri, stating that such infrastructure projects would play a crucial role in the region’s growth.

He said that if such a government continues in West Bengal, it may create obstacles in the implementation of central projects, and asserted that cooperation was essential to ensure the state’s full development in the coming years.

The All India Minority Organisation (AIMO) has announced its decision to campaign against the Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, citing alleged derogatory remarks made by JUP chief and Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir against Kolkata Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim.

Addressing a press conference in Siliguri on Friday, AIMO chairman Prof. Nasir Ahmed said the decision was taken in protest against what he described as “indecorous and unethical language” used by Kabir in public statements. Prof. Ahmed alleged that Kabir had made objectionable comments targeting Firhad Hakim, including references to his personal and family background, which, he said, violated the basic norms of political conduct.

“AIMO strongly condemns the use of such language in politics. Personal attacks, particularly those involving religion or family matters, are unacceptable and go against democratic values and political ethics,” Prof. Ahmed said.

He further alleged that Kabir had recently issued indirect threats against Firhad Hakim, warning him of consequences if he visited Murshidabad. While noting that Kabir had earlier apologised for remarks related to the demographic composition of Murshidabad, Prof. Ahmed maintained that no apology had yet been offered for the alleged comments against Firhad Hakim.

Prof. Ahmed said AIMO would intensify its protest if a public apology was not issued. “If Humayun Kabir fails to apologise publicly for his remarks against Firhad Hakim, AIMO will campaign against JUP candidates in all Assembly constituencies,” he said.

Arun Mandal, district president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Siliguri organisational district, has lodged a complaint with Matigara police station under the Siliguri Police Commissionerate, alleging threats and an act of intimidation at his residence.

According to the complaint, Mandal, a resident of Rabindra Sarani under Shivmandir post office area, received a threatening phone call from an unknown mobile number on 5 February at around 1.03 p.m. He alleged that the caller used abusive language, made derogatory remarks referring to his caste and threatened him with dire consequences. The caller reportedly did not respond when asked to identify himself.

The BJP leader further stated that later the same night, at around 10.08 p.m, CCTV cameras installed at the front of his house captured an unidentified man arriving on a scooty from the Shivmandir side and dumping garbage outside his residence. The footage allegedly shows the person making threatening gestures towards the CCTV camera before leaving the spot.

Mandal claimed that the next morning, he and his family found unhygienic waste, including used sanitary pads, diapers and other foul-smelling garbage, dumped in front of the house.

In his complaint, Mandal expressed apprehension that the threat call and the dumping incident were connected. He alleged that the acts were intended to intimidate him due to his political position, particularly as the BJP is the principal opposition party in the region ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Police have received the complaint and are examining the allegations, including CCTV footage and call details. Further investigation is underway. No one has been arrested.

Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) has signed a tripartite Escrow Account Agreement with Innovative Mining Projects Pvt. Ltd. (IMPPL) and the State Bank of India (SBI) for the Chinakuri Underground (UG) Mine, further consolidating its Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) framework.

The agreement, executed at ECL headquarters in Sanctoria, marks the company’s second escrow-based financial structure for an MDO project. It reflects ECL’s commitment to strengthening financial governance and expanding its structured MDO mining model. Under this framework, the escrow mechanism ensures a disciplined cash-flow structure for coal sold through e-auctions.

By routing sale proceeds through the escrow account, the system reduces counterparty risk, enhances financial oversight, guarantees timely remittances, and supports uninterrupted mining operations, while reinforcing transparency and accountability across the value chain.

The agreement was signed on behalf of ECL by Shyam Sunder, GM (Finance) I/C, and Santanu Chakraborty, HoD (Fund) & Technical Secretary to Director (Finance). IMPPL was represented by its Directors, Navin Tulsyan and Alok Kumar Agarwal, while SBI was represented by Subhra Sarkar, Chief Manager, SBI Asansol.

The signing underscores ECL’s focus on adopting robust financial structures to support large-scale mining operations, strengthen accountability, and contribute to India’s energy security.

Despite repeated assurances from the government, concerns continue to be raised over certain provisions of the proposed Indo-US trade agreement, particularly relating to agriculture. Experts have pointed out that several items listed for import are already available in India, while the use of vague terminology makes the deal’s implications unclear.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said India has protected its agriculture and dairy sectors under the proposed agreement with the United States. However, agriculture experts argue that the fine print of the deal raises serious apprehensions.

Agriculture expert Prof Sudhir Panwar said the agreement has triggered concern despite government clarifications. “There is genuine apprehension about the fine print of trade agreements. If agricultural commodities are imported at zero duty, they could flood the Indian market and adversely affect farmers’ economic interests,” he said.

He added that vague terms such as dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), fresh and processed fruits, tree nuts and “additional products” make the deal suspicious. “The fact is that all these items are already available in India. Apple growers, in particular, have reason to be concerned,” Panwar said.

According to the joint statement, India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including DDGs, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.

DDGs are a by-product of ethanol production from corn and are widely used as high-protein animal feed. Under the agreement, tariff reductions on DDGs and similar products are expected to boost US agricultural exports to India as part of a reciprocal trade framework.

Addressing a press conference, Goyal said India has safeguarded its sensitive sectors and has not extended any duty concessions in these areas. He listed agricultural goods, meat, poultry, all dairy products, genetically modified food products, soy meal, maize, cereals and millets such as jowar, bajra, ragi, kodo and amaranth as protected items.

Fruits including bananas, strawberries, cherries and citrus fruits have also been excluded, he said.

Other protected products include green peas, kabuli chana, moong, oilseeds, animal feed, groundnuts, honey, malt and malt extracts, non-alcoholic beverages, flour and meals, starch, essential oils, fuel ethanol and tobacco. “It is truly an agreement that will give huge advantages to farmers, fishermen and industry in India,” Goyal said.

The Opposition Congress, however, described the deal as a “surrender signed under pressure.” Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said the agreement compromises the interests of farmers, the middle class and small and medium enterprises. He warned that slashing import tariffs on US agricultural and food products would “break the backbone of Indian farmers” by allowing American producers access to India’s vast market.

In a major breakthrough amid the ongoing drive to make Punjab a drug-free state, Gurdaspur Police busted two organised narcotics networks with the arrest of two operatives and the recovery of 11 kg heroin and ₹5.75 lakh drug money, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

Those arrested have been identified as Mohammad Wasim, a resident of Qasimpur, Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, and Harshdeep Singh alias Harsh, a resident of Amritsar. Apart from recovering heroin and drug money, police teams have also impounded a white Honda City car (RJ45 CR 2918) and a Hyundai Verna car (CH01 AZ 0888), which were being used to smuggle narcotics.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested accused were indirectly in contact with Pakistan-based handlers through their associates in India. He added that further investigation is underway to trace the forward and backward linkages of the network.

Sharing operational details of the first case, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurdaspur Aditya said that in an intelligence-led operation, accused Harshdeep Singh alias Harsh was arrested near village Chitti in Gurdaspur while attempting to deliver a heroin consignment. Police recovered 8 kg heroin and ₹3.5 lakh drug money from his Hyundai Verna car.

In another operation, the SSP said that accused Mohammad Wasim was arrested at a naka near Paniyar Sugar Mill in Dinanagar. During the search of his Honda City car, police recovered 3 kg heroin, packed in six packets, along with ₹2.25 lakh drug money.

He said that further investigations are underway and more arrests are likely in the coming days.

In this regard, two separate cases have been registered: FIR No. 32 dated February 7, 2026, under Sections 21(c) and 27A of the NDPS Act at Police Station Dinanagar, and FIR No. 11 dated February 7, 2026, under Sections 21(c) and 27A of the NDPS Act at Police Station Dorangla.

In a tragic incident, a police inspector was killed and several others were injured after a joyride collapsed at Surajkand Mela in Haryana’s Faridabad on Saturday.

According to Faridabad District Magistrate Ayush Sinha, the incident took place at about 6.15 pm on Saturday. At least 18 people were on board the joyride when it suddenly began to tilt. Seeing the joyride tilting, the police inspector tried to save the people, but was hit by a part of the swing in the face and head.

At least 13 people were injured and were rushed to a nearby hospital in an ambulance.

“In the incident, around 13 people got injured. They have been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. A Police Inspector was declared brought dead, he had tried to save people when the joyride began tilting. But a part of the joyride hit him in the face and head. Others are under treatment. Action will be taken against the joyride operator,” DM Sinha said.

The deceased Police Inspector has been identified as 55-year-old Jagdish Prasad. One of his relatives said that the joyride was shut down following an incident a few years ago.

“An incident had occurred here a few years earlier as well. Following this, the Administration shut down the joyride. I don’t understand why it was restarted. The Administration didn’t learn a lesson….Action should be taken against those responsible…,” he said.

District Magistrate Ayush Sinha reached the site to oversee rescue operations. He further stated that an FIR will be registered and an investigation will be done.

The mela grounds were evacuated following the accident, and authorities have launched a probe into the suspected mechanical failure of the ‘Tsunami’ swing.

A team of forensic department also reached the mela ground to collect evidence.

As the decisive ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign, launched under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, entered its 19th day, Punjab Police on Saturday conducted 584 raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of gangsters across the state.

According to official information, ‘Gangstran Te Vaar,’ a decisive war to make Punjab a gangster-free state, was launched by Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on January 20, 2026.

Police teams from all districts, in coordination with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab, have been conducting special operations across the state.

On Day 19 of the campaign, police teams arrested 180 individuals and recovered two weapons from their possession, taking the total number of arrests to 5,290 since the launch of the campaign.

In addition, preventive action was taken against 112 people, while 266 were verified and released after questioning. Police teams also arrested 11 proclaimed offenders (POs) during the operation.

People can anonymously share information related to wanted criminals and gangsters, as well as tips on crime and criminal activities, through the Anti-Gangster Helpline number 93946-93946.

Meanwhile, police teams continued their drive against drugs under ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ for the 343rd day. On Saturday, 95 drug smugglers were arrested, and 12.3 kg of heroin, 160 kg of poppy husk, 321 intoxicant tablets/capsules, and Rs 2,640 in drug money were recovered from their possession.

With these arrests, the total number of drug smugglers apprehended has reached 48,096 in just 343 days. As part of the de-addiction initiative, Punjab Police also convinced 29 people to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment on Saturday.