Police top brass of northern states to evolve joint strategy

Chandigarh, May 22 (UNI) The police top brass of the northern states today unanimously decided to evolve a joint strategy in the form of mutual cooperation and exchange of vital information to effectively check the crime in the whole region.

In a Regional Workshop on Inter-State Crime held at Punjab Police head quarters here, the top brass from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan realised that the inter-state gangs in teh region were active in specific crimeslike kidnapping for ransom, drug smuggling, fake currency, contract killings, extortions and land mafia and these needed to be curbed with mutual cooperation.

Delivering his inaugural address, Punjab DGP S S Virk said that the northern states, specially bordering with the neighboring countries, were facing terrorism related activities through splinter groups who were trying to establish their bases in these states.

The Punjab DGP pointed out that certain migratory gangs from outside struck during the dark nights in the state, committing murders and dacoitees.

He added that about 1172 interstate smugglers and 22 Pak Spies had been arrested in Punjab since 2001. A study conducted regarding these inter-state smugglers, had revealed that 92 of them had influence in adjoining states including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, J and K, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

''Cheap and easy availability of poppy husk and opium in the neighboring states of Punjab and ample availability of cannabis plant in northern India and its intoxicants propertie, were the root cause of large scale smuggling into Punjab, Mr Virk said.

He said the poppy husk smuggling from Rajasthan through Hindumal Kot road, Abohar, Hanumangarh-Abohar road, Ganganagar-Abohar road, Sittobuno-Defence road, village Wazidpur Bhogan-Sangrian road and village Mahala Rampura, was a serious problem as the same was being sold through certain vends.

It was also decided in the meeting to create effective responsive system for faster verification process of migratory labourers. To check the increase in the vehicle theft cases, it was also decided to exchange computerised information of Regional Transport Authorities to trace such vehicles immediately.

The senior officers present at the meeting among others included Uttar Pradesh ADGP (Intelligence) D R Nagar, Chandigarh Special Investigation Bureau Joint Director K S Bains, Rajasthan ADGP (P&W) Omendra Bhardwaj, Delhi ACP (Crime) Mukesh Chander, Garhwal Range DIG R S Meena, Haryana DIG/CID N Ahlawat, Himachal Pradesh DIG/CID O C Thakur and Jammu DIG/CID Ravinder Kotwal.

UNI PS SHB ND1939