Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for CCTV camera installation at strategic locations in border villages to maintain a strict vigil on the movement of drones and smugglers, a senior police official has said. Special Director General of Police (law and order) Arpit Shukla also said that Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information on drone movement leading to the recovery of weapons or narcotics.
Following a security coordination-cum-review meeting by the Punjab Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) a joint statement issued outlining the steps aimed at strengthening border security to prevent smuggling. Greater synergy between the two forces to counter drone operations along the Punjab borders, sharing of inputs on the movements of suspected persons between the forces, increasing the number of checkpoints, especially at night, activating the village defence committees to be the eyes and ears of the police in the border areas to wipe out drugs, terrorists, and gangsters from the border state were some of the steps outlined.
Shukla also 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 criminals
