The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, that Punjab Police conducted 590 raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of gangsters across the state, marking the 181st day of the ongoing 'Gangsteran Te Vaar' anti-gangster campaign.

What Happened

On Day 181 of the campaign, police teams took preventive action against 231 persons and arrested 10 proclaimed offenders (POs). The raids targeted locations pre-identified and mapped as being linked to criminal associates of active gangsters operating in Punjab. The CMO's post also reiterated the availability of the Anti-Gangster Helpline number 93946-93946, through which residents can anonymously report information on wanted criminals, gangsters, and general criminal activity.

Context

Gangsteran Te Vaar — loosely translated from Punjabi as 'Strike Against Gangsters' — is a sustained statewide policing operation launched under the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government that came to power in March 2022. The campaign reflects the administration's prioritisation of law-and-order, particularly targeting organised crime networks involved in extortion, contract killings, and the narcotics trade. The operation relies on pre-mapped intelligence about gangster-linked locations, enabling coordinated, simultaneous raids across multiple districts.

Policy Backdrop

Punjab has long grappled with organised gang violence, often carrying cross-border linkages that complicate enforcement. Successive state governments have responded with waves of intensified policing, but the present campaign is notable for its scale and continuity — now running beyond 180 consecutive days. The anonymous tip-line model, promoted through the Anti-Gangster Helpline, is a community-policing tool designed to supplement intelligence-led raids by crowdsourcing leads from the public. Preventive action against individuals — as distinct from formal arrests — allows police to detain or warn persons deemed likely to assist criminal networks before an offence is committed.

Stakeholders and Impact

For ordinary Punjab residents, particularly in districts historically affected by gang-related extortion and violence, the sustained campaign represents a visible state response to a long-standing security concern. For law enforcement, the daily rhythm of raids and preventive detentions tests operational capacity and inter-district coordination. Organised crime networks face persistent pressure on their associate networks, with the arrest of proclaimed offenders — individuals who had evaded earlier legal processes — signalling an effort to close outstanding enforcement gaps. Civil liberties observers have, in broader national contexts, flagged the use of preventive detention as an area warranting scrutiny, though no specific concerns about this campaign have been formally raised.

What's Next

The campaign shows no sign of winding down, with the CMO's communication framing it as 'decisive' and ongoing. Analysts and opposition parties in Punjab will likely watch for the release of aggregated crime data showing whether gang-related incidents — extortion calls, contract killings, and narcotics seizures — have trended downward since the operation began. Any legislative or budgetary reinforcement of the campaign in the Punjab Assembly would signal the government's intent to institutionalise this level of policing intensity beyond the current operational phase.