In an hour-long interaction on Monday with HT staffers, moderated by Executive Editor Ramesh Vinayak, Yadav spoke on his force’s successes and challenges. In the top job of Punjab Police since July 2022, Gaurav Yadav, 57, has been dealing with a raft of law and order challenges unique to the border state, chiefly drugs, terror modules and gangsters — the issues now at the centerstage of a polarised political discourage ahead of the assembly elections. Known as a tough-as-nails officer, he is now longest serving Punjab DGP after KPS Gill in the 90s. Edited excerpts:
The all-India crime rate is 252.3. Punjab’s crime rate stands at 153.8, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. Looking at official police data from 2025, Haryana recorded 906 murders, while Punjab had 652. Haryana reported 1,033 rapes compared to Punjab’s 428. Haryana registered 1,567 POCSO cases in 2025, whereas Punjab had 516. On violent crime, the national rate is 52.9%; Punjab’s rate is 25%, compared to 48.2% in Haryana and 57.4% in Delhi. The rape offense ratio per lakh population in Punjab is 3.2, whereas Haryana is at 9 and Delhi is at 10.3. Regarding tracking violent crime, Punjab’s chargesheeting rate is 82.5%, well above the national average. Comparing 2022-26 data with 2017-21, IPC crimes in Punjab dropped by 8%. On drugs, Punjab’s conviction rate under the NDPS Act is 90%, compared to Haryana’s 54%. Under the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign launched in March last year, we have made 88,900 arrests and recovered 44,424 kg of heroin—accounting for 60% of total seizures across India. Heroin seizures are up 3.2 times, drug money recoveries are up three times, and synthetic drug (ICE) seizures are up 8.5 times. We have also arrested 3,000 major commercial operators. Public participation is high: Our helpline has received 52,000 drug-related tips that have been converted into FIRs. Punjab shares a 553-km border with Pakistan, which is actively pushing both drugs and arms into the state as part of a state-sponsored narco-terrorism policy. Social media is another battleground: PIOs use digital platforms to recruit vulnerable local youth for anti-national activities using financial incentives as low as ₹ 5,000 to ₹ 10,000, without any ideological motive. Out of 13,000 people granted this provision nationwide, Punjab accounts for 12,212. Financial investigation is a critical part of breaking drug networks; Punjab Police has already frozen properties worth ₹ 902 crore linked to drug traffickers, and we work in tandem with the ED. We have dismissed over 32 police personnel facing serious allegations related to drug involvement in recent years. Organised crime-related murders fell from 43 in 2025 to 24, a 44% decline. Firing incidents dropped from 207 to 128 over the same period. The anti-gangster campaign launched on January 20 marked a turning point.
Drug abuse is a serious national issue, but Punjab faces a unique challenge due to its proximity to Pakistan. Because of opposition from civil society groups, if you remember, the state wanted to bring a stringent law like the Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA) but it was put on hold. Ahead of the assembly elections, drugs and law and order are at the centre of political discourse in Punjab. the opposition and the Union home ministry say the situation is alarming While the state government claims control over both. What is the ground reality? As a professional, I stick to facts and figures. Crime rates are measured per lakh of population. Punjab also records the lowest public tranquility offences in the country. The work we are doing against drugs is widely recognised; our Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) officers have been invited by the National Police Academy and other states to share Punjab’s strategy. we have made major strides While challenges persist. What are the challenges ? The biggest challenge is geography. Then, drone-smuggling technology is changing every six months. We have identified modules being run by Pakistan Intelligence Officers (PIOs), such as the Shehzad Bhatti module’s pan-India presence exposed by our counter-intelligence wing. In the last nine months, six Punjab cops have been shot at in border districts, fueling the perception on downslide in law and order. What’s your take? I disagree. The trends have been changing. It started with grenade attacks designed to generate a narrative. Even if a stone was thrown at a police station, the PIOs, through their modules, projected it as though a bomb had been hurled. There were some attacks but it’s a war being fought on social media. Since March, this new trend of attacking police personnel started. The aim is to lower the morale of the Punjab Police personnel. Despite high seizure figures, questions remain about street-level availability of drugs. We have reduced supply significantly, but real success requires addressing demand through comprehensive de-addiction and rehabilitation. We are utilising Section 64A of the NDPS Act, which offers immunity from prosecution to drug consumers who voluntarily undergo rehabilitation. Our objective is to rehabilitate the youth, not just incarcerate them. Has the severity of Punjab’s drug problem been overblown? The problem must be addressed with a holistic approach. What is your definition of making Punjab a drug-free state? In four years, Punjab has taken major strides towards making the state drug-free. It’s a complex battle and we are committed to wiping out drugs from the state. There has been tremendous improvement on the ground. Has the expansion of the BSF’s operational jurisdiction to 50km from the border yielded results? Inter-agency coordination on drug enforcement is outstanding. All state and central agencies are working together. The chief minister has granted full operational autonomy to the police force. If coordination is smooth, why is the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stepping in to investigate drug cases in the state? Each agency has a specific mandate. The ED tracks proceeds of financial crime. Union home minister Amit Shah criticised Punjab for not using preventive detention provisions under the PIT-NDPS Act. Why has the state lagged behind on this front? Punjab is a different case. Human rights sensitivity is high in the state. Punjab jails are overcrowded with NDPS undertrials, while de-addiction centres face staff shortages. Is rehabilitation falling behind? More work is required on the rehabilitation front, and the state government is taking key initiatives to address these gaps. How serious is internal police collusion in drug trafficking, given the recent arrests of personnel? The government maintains a zero-tolerance policy. The killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa has brought the focus back on pharmaceutical drug abuse. Is the influx of prescription drugs from other states emerging as a major challenge? Pharmaceutical drugs manufactured in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat are finding their way into Punjab. Since regulation of the pharmaceutical industry falls under another department, this requires a multi-agency response. We need stronger regulatory systems to prevent diversion, and software solutions are being developed to improve monitoring. The opposition alleges that gangsters are operating with impunity in Punjab and extortion-related shootings are rising. The data tells a different story. Operation Hard Ball by the FBI has also played a major role. In Punjab even a small fight becomes a firing incident. Punjab has the third-highest number of licensed firearms in the country after Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. So if two parties fight in Madhya Pradesh, they fight with sharp-edged weapons. When they fight in Punjab, they use firearms. On social media presence, such incidents also become big news. Hardly a day goes by without Punjab Police busting a terror module and recovering weapons. Are pro-Khalistan elements making desperate attempts to destabilise the state with the help of gangsters hiding abroad? The frequency of these recoveries reflects our determination to dismantle such modules. Whether dealing with pro-Khalistan terrorists or gangsters operating from abroad, we are making every effort to bring them back to India to face justice. Our newly established Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell is doing outstanding work, and we have already successfully extradited multiple wanted individuals. The Punjab government and the Centre hold diametrically opposite views on drugs and law and order. How do you navigate this divide to ensure policing remains insulated from political narratives?
We identified this problem much earlier. We witnessed a gang war last year, but the situation has since improved.
I view it differently. Whenever we consult the chief minister, his directive is strictly to operate professionally and without political pressure. There is zero political interference in our functioning. We maintain close, seamless coordination with the army, BSF, central agencies, and other state police forces. Punjab Police is fully capable of ensuring the state’s security. We have overcome challenges in the past and will not allow the return of dark days. Having been born in Amritsar, Punjab is both my birthplace and my ‘karmabhoomi(field of duty)’. I assure the people that the Punjab Police will leave no stone unturned to make the state drug-free and peaceful. Transcribed by Ravinder Vasudeva and Hillary Victor
After serving as acting DGP for over four years, you were appointed regular DGP on October 9. With a full mandate, what are your primary targets under Vision-2026?
The CM minister has consistently said that the Punjab Police is the frontline force fighting the nation’s battle.
