The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Monday, 22 June 2026 that Punjab Police conducted 512 raids across the state as the anti-gangster drive 'Gangsteran Te Vaar' entered its 152nd consecutive day, with cumulative arrests reaching 39,083 since the campaign's launch.

What the Latest Operation Covered

On Day 152, police teams targeted identified and mapped locations linked to associates of gangsters across Punjab. The raids resulted in arrests of individuals along with the seizure of five weapons, adding to a growing tally of arms recovered under the campaign. The CMO described the drive as 'decisive' — Gangsteran Te Vaar (meaning 'Strike Against Gangsters') — underscoring the government's framing of it as an ongoing offensive rather than a routine policing measure.

Context

Punjab has faced persistent challenges from organised crime, inter-gang violence, and drug trafficking networks that intensified following the decline of militancy in the mid-1990s. Successive state governments have launched periodic crackdowns combining raids, asset seizures, and arrests to disrupt these networks, but the scale and sustained daily cadence of 'Gangsteran Te Vaar' marks a distinct escalation in operational tempo.

Since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assumed office in March 2022, tackling organised crime and drug syndicates has been a stated priority. The campaign targets not only active gangsters but also their broader associate networks — logistics suppliers, financiers, and shelter providers — through systematic mapping of linked locations before raids are conducted.

Policy Backdrop

The AAP administration announced a comprehensive crackdown on drug syndicates and organised crime networks soon after taking office, positioning law-and-order reform as central to its governance agenda in the state. 'Gangsteran Te Vaar' operationalises that commitment through a structured, day-counted campaign that generates daily accountability metrics — arrests, raids, weapons seized — reported publicly through official channels.

Punjab Police has historically conducted multi-phase operations against criminal elements, particularly in the post-militancy period of the 1990s and 2000s. The current campaign continues this established pattern but distinguishes itself through its sustained daily reporting cadence and the use of intelligence-led mapping of associate networks before field operations are mounted.

Stakeholders and Impact

Residents across Punjab — particularly in districts with historically high gang activity — stand to benefit most directly from the disruption of organised crime networks. For gangster syndicates, the sustained pressure on associates and support infrastructure is designed to erode operational capacity even when principal accused remain at large or abroad.

The cumulative arrest figure of 39,083 over 152 days averages to roughly 257 arrests per day, a pace that reflects the breadth of the net being cast — encompassing associates, not only gang leaders. Civil liberties observers and legal aid bodies are among the stakeholders who will watch whether due process standards are maintained at this operational scale.

What's Next

The government has not indicated a fixed end date for 'Gangsteran Te Vaar', suggesting the campaign may continue indefinitely or transition into a permanent operational posture within routine policing. Official crime statistics for Punjab in the coming quarters will provide an independent measure of whether the sustained raids and arrests are translating into durable reductions in gang-related violence and drug trafficking across the state.