Chandigarh, March 27 The "Gangstran Te Vaar" campaign launched by the Punjab Police to make the state free of gangsters, has resulted in the blocking of 643 social media pages that glorify weapons, said the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), on Friday.
The "Gangstran Te Vaar" campaign has achieved significant milestones through the Anti-Gangster Helpline 93946-93946, which has seen an overwhelming response from the general public since its launch on January 21, 2026, DIG, AGTF, Gurmeet Chauhan, said.
Sharing the success of the initiative, Chauhan said that 590 inputs have been received on the dedicated helpline. Of these, 83 were related to drugs, 35 to extortion, 43 regarding gangsters, 86 concerning illegal weapons, 74 related to personal enmity, 13 for robbery and theft, 11 regarding proclaimed offenders (POs) and absconders, and two related to immigration fraud, while 97 were categorized as others.
"The active participation of citizens has been instrumental. These tips led to the registration of 63 FIRs and the arrest of 26 individuals, including 21 preventive detentions," said Chauhan, while citing successful instances where public cooperation helped apprehend criminals involved in heinous crimes.
Highlighting the crackdown on the digital ecosystem of crime, the DIG revealed that the AGTF is launching a special campaign to monitor mischievous activities on social media.
"We have already got 643 pages blocked across various social media platforms for glorifying weapons or criminal activities. I appeal to parents to remain vigilant about their children's activities to ensure they are not misled," he said.
Notably, the Punjab Police has identified 61 foreign-based gangsters operating from abroad. To expedite their extradition, an Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) has been established to ensure these criminals are brought back to face the law.
Urging the public to make maximum use of the helpline, the DIG asked citizens to act as the "eyes and ears" of the police.
"Not only extortions, but people can report any suspicious gangster, criminal or anti-social activities using this number. I want to assure the public that complete confidentiality will be maintained," he added.
The Anti-Gangster Helpline number, 93946-93946, remains operational for citizens to anonymously share information about wanted criminals and provide vital leads to curb crime in the state.
Sharing the achievements of AGTF, Gurmeet Chauhan said that the Punjab Police has busted 1,111 modules of gangsters and criminals and arrested 2,868 gangsters across the state since April 2022, and recovered 2,273 weapons and 656 vehicles used in criminal activities from their possession.
The Punjab government had earlier formed the AGTF headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Promod Ban to effectively combat gangster culture in the state.