Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, led a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Police Martyrs Memorial within the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) headquarters in Jalandhar, marking the 67th state-level Police Commemoration Day. The observance honoured police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty while combating militancy and organised crime to protect the nation's unity and integrity.

The Ceremony

DGP Yadav was joined by Special DGP, Law and Order, Praveen Kumar Sinha and ADGP M.F. Farooqui during the homage proceedings. A ceremonial parade was held at the Martyrs Memorial, during which the names of all personnel who attained martyrdom in the past year were read out by the Commandant. The event concluded with a two-minute silence and the laying of wreaths by senior officers.

1,804 Martyrs Since 1981

Addressing the gathering, DGP Yadav described the Punjab Police as an exceptional force with an illustrious legacy forged through war, peace, and proxy conflicts. He stated that since September 1981, as many as 1,804 Punjab Police personnel have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, including two bravehearts who attained martyrdom this year alone. 'It is because of these brave martyrs that we are breathing in an atmosphere of peace today,' Yadav said. 'The force remains steadfastly committed to defending our frontiers and preserving communal harmony across the border state.'

Anti-Drug Drive: 95,000 NDPS Cases, Rs 902 Crore Frozen

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, DGP Yadav outlined the Punjab Police record on counter-narcotics operations. He said more than 95,000 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been registered since 16 March 2022, resulting in over 1,27,000 arrests and the seizure of more than 7,260 kg of heroin. Targeting the financial infrastructure of the narco-trade, the force has frozen properties worth Rs 902 crore belonging to drug traffickers — described as the highest forfeiture by any state police force in the country — alongside a 90 per cent conviction rate in courts.

1,288 Criminal Modules Dismantled

Sustained anti-gangster operations launched in April 2022 have dismantled 1,288 organised criminal modules and led to the arrest of more than 3,300 gang members. DGP Yadav further outlined the ongoing Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, which has now entered an intensive 60-day mission mode. Under this phase, all designated drug hotspots are being jointly surveilled around the clock by senior police officers and gazetted civil administration officers. The central aim, he stressed, is community outreach and reclaiming vulnerable areas by creating opportunities — including playgrounds — for the youth.

The commemoration serves as an annual reminder of the price paid by Punjab's police force during decades of militancy and its ongoing battle against drugs and organised crime. With mission-mode operations accelerating, the coming weeks will test whether the gains registered so far translate into lasting ground-level change.