17 May 2023 Amritsar
Arpit Shukla, IPS, Special DGP (Law and Order, Punjab Police) along with Atul Fulzele IPS IG BSF Punjab Frontier, all DIGs of BSF, DIG Border Range Amritsar & Ferozepur during a meeting with BSF at the BSF headquarters in Khasa on the outskirts of Amritsar on Wednesday. BSF is holding a joint meeting with senior Punjab Police officials to discuss strategies to counter the drone operations at Punjab borders, various issues pertaining to border management and internal security.
PHOTO-PRABHJOT GILL AMRITSAR
Amritsar : In order to keep strict vigil at movement of drones and cross-border smugglers, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann sanctioned Rs.20 crores for installations of drones at strategic locations in the border villages, said Special Director General of Police (DGP) Arpit Shukla here on Wednesday. DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav has also declared a reward of Rs. 1 lakh for providing information of drone movement leading to recovery of weapons/narcotics, he added.
The Special DGP accompanied by IG Frontier Headquarters, BSF Jalandhar Dr. Atul Fulzele was in BSF Khasa Head Quarter in Amritsar to hold a Joint coordination cum review meeting with senior officials of BSF and Punjab Police to further strengthen the security at the border to prevent the cross border smuggling. DIG Border Range Narinder Bhargav and DIG Ferozepur Range Ranjit Singh Dhillon along with four DIGs and four Commandants of BSF were among the senior officials who attended the meeting.
Giving a call for greater synergy and teamwork between BSF and Punjab Police, Special DGP Arpit Shukla said that it was high time that both the elite forces should work in tandem and better coordination to counter the Drone operations at Punjab borders, which have emerged as the new threat. He also stressed on the need to carry out evidence-based and proactive policing to prevent the smuggling of narcotics and weapons into Punjab from across the border.
The Special DGP asked the Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of Border districts to intensify the Police force as a second line of defence which will help in preventing the collection of contraband dropped through drones by the criminals on the Indian side.
He discussed the strategic locations and hotspots in border villages to install CCTV cameras to keep vigil at Indian Nationals involved in the cross-border smuggling. He asked the BSF officials to share inputs of movements of suspected persons with the Punjab Police so that they can keep a sharp vigil on their activities and ensure penal action against those found involved in any criminal activity.
