The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Tuesday, 26 May 2026 that the state's decisive anti-gangster drive, 'Gangsteran Te Vaar', has entered its 125th day, with Punjab Police conducting 519 raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of gangsters across the state.

What the Latest Action Covers

Punjab Police teams arrested individuals and recovered nine weapons during the latest round of operations. With these arrests, the cumulative total since the campaign's launch has reached 31,957 arrests. The raids targeted locations that had been systematically identified and mapped in advance, reflecting a data-driven approach to dismantling criminal networks.

Context: The Gangsteran Te Vaar Campaign

'Gangsteran Te Vaar' — loosely translated as 'Strike Against Gangsters' — is a statewide police operation launched under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who has led the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab since March 2022. The campaign was conceived as a direct response to the organised crime landscape in the state, which has long been marked by contract killings, extortion networks, and cross-border smuggling. Eliminating organised crime and drug networks was a core governance priority articulated by the AAP government from the outset of its term.

Policy Backdrop: Punjab's Recurring Gang Problem

Punjab has experienced recurring cycles of gang-related violence that successive state governments have attempted to curb through periodic police operations. The current campaign aligns with the AAP government's electoral emphasis on law-and-order reform in a state long affected by inter-gang rivalries and cross-border criminal activity. The focus on 'mapped locations' linked to gangster associates signals an intelligence-led methodology, moving beyond reactive policing toward pre-emptive disruption of criminal ecosystems. The recovery of weapons remains a key metric, as restricting access to firearms is considered central to reducing contract killings.

Stakeholders and Impact

Punjab's residents — particularly in districts historically vulnerable to gang activity — are the primary intended beneficiaries of the crackdown. The scale of arrests, now crossing 31,957, suggests a wide operational footprint touching criminal networks across multiple districts. For Punjab Police, sustaining this tempo over 125 days represents a significant institutional commitment of personnel and resources. Critics of such large-scale crackdowns have in the past raised questions about due process and the treatment of peripheral associates, though no such concerns are reflected in the current official communication.

What's Next

The key indicators to watch will be official crime data showing measurable changes in murder rates, extortion incidents, and drug seizures — metrics that would validate the operational impact of the campaign beyond arrest numbers. Any supplementary legislation tabled in the Punjab Legislative Assembly to strengthen anti-gangster provisions could further signal the government's long-term institutional approach. With the campaign now past the 125-day mark, the CMO's continued public reporting suggests the drive is being positioned as an ongoing, sustained effort rather than a time-bound operation.