Punjab Police plans GPS-enabled anklets for drug smugglers out on bail
Live Events
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
The Punjab Police is planning to introduce GPS-enabled anklets for drug smugglers out on bail to track their movements, the state's top cop said on Saturday.Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav cited the example of the Jammu and Kashmir Police , which uses the wearable device for UAPA ( Unlawful Activities Prevention Act ) accused to monitor them.Addressing the media here, Yadav said, "In J&K, GPS tracking anklets were started for UAPA persons who are bailed out. We are examining the proposal from a legal point of view."When an accused is released on bail, there are some conditions, Yadav said, adding that after taking orders from competent courts, GPS anklets will be put on notorious smugglers out on bail to track their movements.Yadav said it will be done on a case-by-case basis, and the right to privacy will be kept in mind.The DGP asserted that small-time drug users should not be targeted and instead be sent to drug de-addiction centres.He said the police would also focus on such drug users who have been released on bail."We have devised a system of monitoring their activities by taking village elders and panchayats into confidence. Our objective is to integrate these into the mainstream. They (drug users) will be motivated to go to OAAT (Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment) clinics and drug de-addiction centres," he said.The station house officers will call such people to police stations, and a self-declaration will be taken from them that they will neither consume drugs nor peddle them, said the DGP.However, he said police will take action against repeat offenders.The DGP said an artificial intelligence software will be developed to upload information regarding arrested drug smugglers in districts into centralised data for forward and backwards linkages.He further said drug de-addiction centres will be started in jails for drug users, who are put behind bars.Replying to a question on deploying an anti-drone system to check smuggling of drugs and weapons, Yadav said the order for the system has been placed, and they are expected to be delivered by July and August. PTI
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
UP Police podcast highlights high profile probes
Lucknow: In a pioneering step toward transparency, public engagement and digital outreach, the Uttar Pradesh Police launched a rare crime-focused podcast series under its official audio platform, 'Beyond the Badge'.This new series marks a significant expansion of the podcast, aiming to highlight the meticulous investigative work of police officers in cracking some of the most sensational and complex crimes in the state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The initiative stems from a directive issued by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who emphasised the need to publicise achievements, innovations and public service efforts of the police through modern and accessible platforms. In response, the 'Beyond the Badge' podcast was launched in January 2025. A rare format: What sets this new podcast series apart is its documentary-style narrative, focusing on real criminal cases investigated by the UP Police. Each episode features interviews with the officers who led these investigations, offering an in-depth look into how cases were solved using a combination of human intelligence, technical surveillance, forensic analysis and tireless groundwork. The first episode in the crime series dives into a massive ₹100-crore insurance fraud case unearthed in Sambhal district. The episode features IPS Officer Anukriti Sharma, Superintendent of Police (south Sambhal), who led the investigation that uncovered multiple organised crime syndicates operating across the region. Speaking on the podcast, SP Anukriti Sharma explains how these syndicates exploited govt health and insurance schemes by forging documents, manipulating Aadhaar data and bribing local agents such as ASHA workers, village secretaries and bank officials. The gangs would fraudulently issue insurance policies in the names of poor, illiterate or deceased individuals, open fake nominee bank accounts and claim the payouts after orchestrated deaths or by faking them. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "In some cases, they even insured dead individuals and later claimed they died again to obtain benefits," said Sharma. "There were also instances where young men were insured for crores of rupees and then murdered to claim the insurance." The episode outlines how the UP Police used data analytics, technical surveillance and meticulous coordination with insurance companies and banks to track the scam. Several key arrests were made, and links to a wider network operating in multiple districts were uncovered. A public call for vigilance:Through the podcast, SP Sharma also issues a strong appeal to citizens, urging them to avoid handing over Aadhaar, PAN cards, thumbprints, or other personal documents without full verification. She cautions people to apply for any govt scheme only through official channels and to remain alert to suspicious activities, such as individuals who suddenly become wealthy or show unexplained behaviour. "If you see something unusual in your community—be it suspicious deaths, sudden wealth, or coercion—report it to the police immediately," she advises. "These crimes thrive in silence. Community awareness is our first line of defence." A new face of police communication: The crime podcast series is a landmark initiative for any Indian law enforcement agency. By using storytelling as a tool, UP Police aims to build transparency, increase public trust, and educate citizens about modern policing techniques and crime trends. Episodes of the 'Beyond the Badge' podcast are available on popular streaming platforms and the official UP Police channels. The department plans to release future episodes covering cybercrime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other high-stakes investigations from across the state. This initiative not only humanises the police force but also offers the public a rare look at the complexity, risks and dedication involved in solving real-life crimes.
Economic Times
5 hours ago
- Economic Times
BCCI's decision to relocate playoff, final matches of IPL influenced by political considerations: WB govt
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Sunday criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India's ( BCCI ) decision to relocate the playoff and final matches of the Indian Premier League ( IPL ) from Kolkata to Gujarat, claiming that it was influenced by political considerations."I previously addressed the media during a press conference regarding the political motivations behind the decision to relocate the playoffs and final matches from Eden Gardens. Recent developments have further illuminated this issue," State Sports Minister Aroop Biswas claimed in a statement issued late on Sunday evening."The satellite data utilised by the BCCI and the IPL governing body, which was presented as a meteorological assessment, indicated a likelihood of rain in Kolkata during this period. Consequently, the playoffs and final were moved to Gujarat," Biswas it has become increasingly evident that this satellite report was not solely based on weather conditions but was influenced by political considerations, he claimed."Today, it is clear that cricket fans in Kolkata have been unjustly deprived of this significant sporting event due to political motives. The same satellite that forecasted potential rain in Kolkata failed to recognise the possibility of rain at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat," Biswas said this "discrepancy underscores" that the decision was not driven by meteorological factors, "but rather by a politically motivated agenda aimed at sidelining Bengal".The BCCI had earlier announced that the second qualifier and the IPL final, scheduled to take place on June 1 and 3 respectively, will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad instead of Kolkata's Eden had said last week that the BCCI's decision violated the IPL's rule that the previous year's champions' home ground will host the final.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Jagdish Bhola, convict in Rs 700cr drug racket, walks out of prison after 12 years
Bathinda: Twelve years after he was arrested in a multi-crore drug racket, Arjuna Award-winning wrestler and former Punjab Police DSP Jagdish Bhola finally walked out of jail on Sunday. A bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court had granted him bail on May 21, with various conditions, including a bail bond of Rs 5 lakh and two sureties. Bhola had won a silver medal in the Asian Wrestling Championship in 1991 and appeared in the Punjabi movie Rustam-e-Hind in 2008. A deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Bhola was dismissed from Punjab Police in 2012. He was arrested in Nov 2013 in connection with a Rs 700-crore drug racket. Bhola was in jail for nearly 12 years. He has been convicted twice — in 2019 and 2024. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) named him an accused in the multi-crore synthetic narcotics racket after an investigation into money laundering was initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in 2013. In Feb 2019, Bhola was convicted and sentenced to 24 years in jail by a special CBI court in Mohali in the Rs 700-crore drug racket busted Punjab Police in 2013. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Punjab Police had seized heroin, methamphetamine, pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, opium, intoxicating powder, and Rs 1.91 crore, besides some foreign currency and arms from him. In the second conviction, Bhola was sentenced to 10 years in jail in a drug-linked money laundering case of Mohali in July 2024. Earlier, the disgraced cop and wrestler was allowed to visit his native village, Raike Kalan in Bathinda district, for five hours to perform the last rites of his father, Balshinder Singh, on Jul 26, 2024. Before this, he had come out to perform the last rites of his mother for a brief period in Jun 2023.
