Strengthened 2nd Line of Defence on Borders: Pak smugglers forced to other state borders

Last updated: 12 Jan 2025

Punjab shares a 553-km-long border with Pakistan
-- Drugs & weapons are smuggled using drones[1]

Installation of 3,000 AI enabled CCTV cameras in Border areas at last stage[2]

19,523 Village defence committees(VLDCs) in the state as of Jan 2025[3]

Pak Smugglers forced to use other state borders; Reports suggest Rajasthan borders emerging as their plan B[4][5][6]

Infra boost

  • Total 40 crores allocation
  • CCTV cameras in border areas: 20 crore fund alloted for installing for increased surveillance[7]
  • Rs 10 crores for buildings and infrastructure
  • Rs 10 crores for buying new vehicles

Increased Vigilance

Village defence committees[8]

  • Committees have been set up in every village within 19 kilometres of the international border
  • Village Level Defence Committees (VLDC) help the security forces on ground in sharing real-time info leading to disruption of drug networks

Police checkpoint every 5 kms[8:1]

  • Punjab police has set up 100 checkpoints along the 553-kilometre international border

Intelligence network strenghtened

  • Mostly in border districts to curb smuggling[9]

Rs 1 lakh reward for information related to drone delivery of drugs[7:1]

References:

  1. https://theprint.in/india/mann-targets-centre-over-non-inclusion-of-punjab-tableau-in-r-day-parade/1940441/ ↩︎

  2. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/indiapak-border-3-000-ai-enabled-cameras-to-check-smuggling-mann-101722971233603.html ↩︎

  3. https://yespunjab.com/cm-mann-seeks-amit-shahs-intervention-for-setting-up-special-ndps-courts-to-check-drug-menace/ ↩︎

  4. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/surge-in-drug-trafficking-stokes-fear-of-rajasthan-becoming-next-udata-punjab/articleshow/102243631.cms ↩︎

  5. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/pak-suppliers-punjab-drug-mafia-use-rajasthan-border-to-push-in-narcotics-632091 ↩︎

  6. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/surge-in-drug-trafficking-stokes-fear-of-rajasthan-becoming-next-udata-punjab/articleshow/102243631.cms?from=mdr ↩︎

  7. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-police-arrest-drug-smugglers-8658774/ ↩︎ ↩︎

  8. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-drug-crisis-awareness-crackdown-how-aap-govt-is-pushing-its-twin-track-campaign-9078268/ ↩︎ ↩︎

  9. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amritsar/village-defence-committee-at-border-district-villages-in-punjab-to-curb-smuggling/articleshow/100853070.cms ↩︎