Mann Announces 10,000 New Police Posts to Root Out Drugs at Phillaur SHO Meet

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday announced 10,000 new recruitments in the Punjab Police, telling a packed auditorium of station house officers that the state is fighting the final and decisive phase of its war against drugs.

Mann was addressing a first-of-its-kind 'SHO interaction' at the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Police Academy in Phillaur, where he met officers from the rank of DGP down to the SHO, heard their concerns and honoured those who have performed outstandingly in the anti-drug campaign 'Yudh Nashean Virudh'.

A first-of-its-kind SHO interaction

According to the Punjab Police's Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, the gathering at Phillaur brought together 384 SHOs, 119 DSPs, 28 commissioners of police and senior superintendents of police, and 8 deputy inspectors general and inspectors general — a scale of direct engagement between the chief minister and field officers that the force described as unprecedented.

The DGP's office said outstanding officers were honoured with awards for exceptional anti-drug service — one officer received a ceremonial cheque of Rs 80,000 — and the chief minister later shared a meal with officers of all ranks.

'10,000 posts, without recommendation or favour'

Posting on X after the meeting, Mann said the government would 'undertake 10,000 new recruitments without any recommendation or favour', and that the police would also soon receive 450 assistant sub-inspectors and 3,400 more personnel.

'Today, held an important meeting with Punjab Police officers, from the DGP to the SHO, at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Academy, Phillaur,' Mann wrote. 'Under the Yudh Nashean Virudh, we have given the police complete freedom to take strict action against drug smugglers.'

Addressing the officers, Mann said SHOs carry an enormous responsibility as the face of policing at the grassroots. He called for a humane approach towards the personnel's genuine concerns, but stressed that the people of Punjab expect professionalism, honesty and accountability from every officer.

'Final and decisive' war on drugs

Mann said the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign has now become a mass movement, with people providing information and cooperating with the police — but he added that once information reaches officers, prompt and effective action is their responsibility.

'Go to villages and towns, take people along and crack down on drugs,' he told the officers, declaring: 'Let us resolve that we will neither stop nor bow until the menace of drugs is uprooted completely.'

The announcement comes on day 580 of the campaign. Punjab Police said 106 drug smugglers were arrested across the state on Saturday alone, taking the total arrests in the drive to 81,333, with 17 people also sent for de-addiction treatment.