Ahead of Lok Sabha poll, inter-state police meeting held in Pathankot

Tribune News Service

Ravi Dhaliwal

Pathankot, March 30

An inter-state police coordination meeting was held in Pathankot today in which the BSF was asked to make adequate security arrangements near border area villages.

The BSF was also asked to monitor and subsequently counter the drones flying in from Pakistan carrying payloads of heroin, arms and ammunition. It was also decided to share a list of known criminals and proclaimed offenders by HP, J&K and Punjab governments.

The meeting was held under the joint chairmanship of Rakesh Kaushal, DIG (Border range), Sunil Gupta, DIG (Jammu range) and Shashank Anand, DIG, Station Headquarters, Gurdaspur. Pathankot SSP Suhail Qasim Mir, Gurdaspur SSP Harish Dayama, senior officers of HP and J&K, and Excise Department officials of Punjab were also present. Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal, too, was present.

The meeting was convened under the instructions of Punjab DGP. The proceedings were held ostensibly to ensure no untoward incident happens in the run-up to the elections.

It was also decided to increase the number of check-posts (nakas) on inter-state border entry and exit routes. The role of Village Defence Committees was discussed threadbare.

The Punjab Police was asked to coordinate with HP and J&K police as far as curbing the sale of narcotics in the villages of Channi Beli, Damtal and Bhadroya was concerned. All these areas of HP are considered to be the hub of drug smugglings. Police officers have often claimed that the sale of drugs in Punjab and HP can be checked if strict curbs are imposed in these villages. Addicts from various parts of Punjab are known to procure their quota of drugs from these three villages. Efforts have been made in the past to curb the sale but once the cops look the other way, dope smugglers again start having a free-run. It was keeping in mind this development that it was decided to come down heavily on smugglers operating out of these areas.

The deras of Gujjars (nomads) living near the international border will also be thoroughly searched.

The officers decided to stay in touch with each other using social media sites to make sure nothing troublesome happens before the polls and also to inform each other about the latest developments.

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