Yudh Nashiyan Virudh
Tarunpreet Singh Sond Participates in Marathon Held at Mandi Gobindgarh
- Appeals for collective efforts from all sections of society to eradicate drugs
- Massive participation from all walks of life
- Celebrities including actors Karamjit Anmol, Binnu Dhillon, Dev Kharoud, and international shooter Arjun Cheema mark their presence
Chandigarh/Mandi Gobindgarh, April 18-Punjab Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, participated as the chief guest in a marathon organized by the Municipal Council of Mandi Gobindgarh with the support of the district administration. The event, held on Thursday morning, commenced from the local Indoor Stadium and witnessed enthusiastic participation across all age groups.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Sond emphasized that the eradication of drugs requires the united efforts of every section of society. However, he underlined that the active involvement of youth plays a decisive role in ensuring the success of any such campaign. He appreciated the enthusiastic participation of young people in the state-wide anti-drug initiative 'Yudh Nashiyan Virudh', launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The minister informed that several large-scale programs are being carried out across Punjab to curb drug abuse. As part of the "Yudh Nashiyan Virudh", a dedicated sub-committee has been formed, of which he is a member. This committee monitors the daily progress of the anti-drug drive. Since the beginning of the campaign on March 1, 2025, a significant number of drug traffickers have been apprehended, and illegal structures related to the drug trade have been demolished.
He further noted the positive influence that celebrities have on the youth and expressed his gratitude to actors Karamjit Anmol, Dev Kharoud, and Binnu Dhillon for their presence at the marathon. Their participation, he said, served as motivation for the younger generation.
MLA Gurinder Singh Gary Barring, while addressing, urged everyone to stay away from drugs and to support those trapped in addiction by guiding them towards rehabilitation. He encouraged citizens to report drug traffickers or suspicious activities to the police without fear. The massive turnout of youth at the marathon, he said, sent a strong and clear message that Punjab’s youth stand firmly with the government’s mission to root out drugs.
The event was made possible with the significant contribution of Harpreet Singh Prince, President of the Municipal Council. International shooter Arjun Cheema also participated, interacted with the youth, and encouraged them to stay away from drugs.
During the event, SSP Shubham Agarwal also shared his views. Winners of the marathon were honored with prizes and medals.
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Due to bumper crop, 125 lakh metric tonnes of wheat is likely to arrive in Punjab's markets: Lal Chand Kataruchak
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister reviews the ongoing wheat procurement in the grain market of Rupnagar
Interacting with the labor community, Minister says, the real god on earth are the labourers,
Government increases the remuneration twice to Rs 2.64
Chandigarh/Rupnagar, April 18: Punjab's Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Friday reviewed the ongoing wheat procurement arrangements at the grain market of Rupnagar,
He said that this time there has been a bumper crop of wheat in Punjab and about 125 lakh metric tonnes of wheat is likely to arrive during this season.
Food and Supplies Minister Mr. Kataruchak further said that till now 13 lakh 16 thousand metric tons of wheat have arrived in the markets. Out of this, about 11 lakh metric tons have been purchased. He said that Rs. 703 crore has been paid in the accounts of the farmers.
He said that as per the instructions of Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann, while the payment is being made within 24 hours of the purchase, there is no slacking in lifting either. He said that so far no issue has come to light during his visit to the markets.
According to the Food and Supplies Minister, if the weather continues to cooperate like this, then the quality of the wheat grain this time will remain good. He said that all the agencies and agents have been asked to make complete arrangements of tarpaulins and crates to protect the grain coming to the markets from the weather. Apart from this, there is no shortage of gunny bags.
He clarified that farmers will not be allowed to face any kind of problem in the markets and as per the orders of Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann, he is personally visiting the markets and reviewing the ongoing procurement. He said that strict instructions have been issued to all the officers involved in the procurement arrangements so that there is no laxity in the markets and no farmer or arhti has to face any problem.
On this occasion, Mr. Kataruchak while interacting with the labour community said that the real gods of the earth are the labourers who work so hard to raise their families. He also thanked the labourers
for their cooperation in the marketing of crops. He said that the Punjab government has always stood by them and the state government has increased their wages twice in just 1 year, he said that first it was increased from Rs. 1.80 to Rs. 2.21 and keeping in mind the rising inflation and the demand of arhtis, the Chief Minister of Punjab Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann took a bold decision and increased the rate by 43 paise to Rs 2.64. He said that this increase will benefit the labour community by about Rs. 10 crore.
State government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has made arrangements for the procurement of 130 lakh metric tonnes of wheat so that every grain of wheat brought by farmers to the markets is purchased at the minimum support price.
He also reiterated the state government's commitment to purchase every grain of crops produced by the farmers with their hard work.
On this occasion, MLA Rupnagar Advocate Mr. Dinesh Kumar Chadha, Deputy Commissioner Rupnagar Mr. Varjeet Singh Walia, Senior Superintendent of Police Mr. Gulneet Singh Khurana, Chairman of Market Committee Mr. Bhag Singh Madan, District Food Supply Officer Dr. Kimmy Vaneet Kaur Sethi, Chairman of Improvement Trust Mr. Shiv Kumar Lalpura and other high officials were present.
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FOLLOWING DR. AMBEDKAR PRINCIPLES, AAP GOVT IS COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE & EQUALITY, ASSERTS BARINDER KUMAR GOYAL
RESERVATION IMPLEMENTED IN ADVOCATE GENERAL'S OFFICE
INCOME ELIGIBILITY LIMIT REDUCED FOR FILLING SC COMMUNITY LAWYER POSITIONS
Chandigarh/Lehragaga, April 18:Punjab Cabinet Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal today asserted that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government has realized Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's dream by implementing reservation in the Advocate General's office for the first time in Punjab's history, which is clear evidence of the AAP Govt's commitment to social justice and equality.
Addressing a press conference at his office in Lehragaga, Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal said, "following the principles of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, the Mann government has permanently removed a long-standing obstacle faced by lawyers of SC community by addressing the issue of vacant seats in the Advocate General's office that remained unfilled due to excessive income eligibility requirements fixed by previous governments.
The Cabinet Minister said that nearly 15 out of 58 positions in the Advocate General's office remained vacant due to excessively high income eligibility criteria. The Mann government has amended these requirements by reducing the income eligibility condition by 50%, providing significant relief to the lawers of the Scheduled Castes community.
"This revolutionary step will ensure that talented SC lawyers can now reach prestigious positions such as the Advocate General's office", said the Cabinet Minister, adding that as soon as the Aam Aadmi Party formed the government in Punjab, pictures of Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh and great social reformer Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar were installed in government offices to honour the martyrs and legacy of the architect of the Constitution, so that all people visiting these offices can draw inspiration from them.
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PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS TWO OPERATIVES OF LANDA HARIKE AND SATTA NAUSHEHRA GANG AFTER BRIEF EXCHANGE OF FIRE; TWO PISTOLS RECOVERED
— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A SAFE AND SECURE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN
— BOTH ARRESTED PERSONS WERE TASKED BY THEIR FOREIGN HANDLERS TO CARRY OUT TARGETED KILLINGS IN PUNJAB, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV
— ARRESTED ACCUSED MEHAKPREET AND YUVRAJ WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN FIRING AT SARPANCH’S HOUSE IN TARN TARAN: ADGP AGTF PROMOD BAN
CHANDIGARH/TARN TARAN, April 18:Amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab in a joint operation with Tarn Taran Police has arrested two key associates of Terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa Harike and Gangster Satnam Singh alias Satta Naushehra Gang after a brief exchange of fire took place near village Jawanda in Tarn Taran, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.
Those arrested have been identified as Mehakpreet Singh alias Mehak, a resident of village Sekhwan in Batala and Yuvraj Singh alias Jaggu, a resident of Muradpura in Tarn Taran. Police teams have also recovered two sophisticated pistols including one 9MM Glock and one .30 calibre PX30 along with live cartridges and empty bullet shells from their possession.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that both were being directed by foreign handlers to carry out targeted killings in Punjab. “With the these two operatives, Punjab Police has averted targetted killings and other sensational crimes in the state,” he said.
Sharing more details, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban revealed that the arrested accused persons— Mehakpreet and Yuvraj— were also involved in the firing at Sarpanch’s house in Tarn Taran. According to the information, two bike borne youth had opened fire outside the residence of Sarpanch of Naushehra Pannuan village on the intervening night of March 26 and 27, 2025.
The ADGP said that the teams of the AGTF under the supervision of AIG Sandeep Goel and teams of Tarn Taran Police under the supervision of SSP Abhimanyu Rana, were pursuing the culprits involved in the case of firing outside Sarpanch’s house, and based human and intel-inputs located both the accused persons roaming in the area of Naushehra Pannuan.
Sharing operation details, AIG Sandeep Goel said that acting swiftly joint police teams of the AGTF and Tarn Taran Police followed the trail of both the accused persons. "When police teams intercepted both the accused persons, the latter opened firing at the police party in an attempt to evade arrest, prompting the police teams to retaliate in self-defence," said the AIG.
SSP Abhimanyu Rana said that during the exchange of fire both the accused persons sustained bullet injuries and have been admitted to the local Hospital for medical treatment. Police teams have recovered two sophisticated weapons from their possession, he added.
The SSP said that accused Mehakpreet Singh has a criminal background and apart from his involvement in case of firing at Sarpanch’s house, the accused was also wanted in case registered under Explosive Substances Act in which two hand grenades and arms-ammunition were recovered. Further investigations are ongoing to unearth their whole network, he said.
A case FIR no. 49 dated 18/04/2025 has been registered under sections 111 (3) and 113 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 25 (6) and 25 (7)(i) of the Arms Act at Police Station Sirhali in Tarn Taran.
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Minister Tarunpreet Sond Hits Ground Zero to Inspect Ponds Cleaning Drive
Historic Initiative by Punjab Government; Village Ponds Across the State Being Cleaned Up: Tarunpreet Singh Sond
- What hadn’t been done in the last 15-25 years is now being accomplished by the government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and guidance of Arvind Kejriwal
- Mann Govt set to clean more than 15000 ponds within next few months
- 1062 ponds already dewatered and nearly 400 desilted; Ponds will no longer be sites of huge plastic, and breeding grounds for mosquitoes
- Senior officials directed to conduct field visits and monitor pond cleaning as a top priority
- Rural Development and Panchayats Minister inspects pond cleaning projects in villages of Fatehgarh Sahib district along with local MLAs
Chandigarh/Fatehgarh Sahib, April 18-In a landmark move under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government has launched a large-scale initiative to clean nearly 15,000 village ponds across the state, an effort not undertaken in the past two to three decades.
This was announced by Punjab’s Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, during his inspection of pond-cleaning projects in villages including Chanarathal Kalan, Khare, and Dera Meer Miran in the Sirhind block; Ralli in the Bassi Pathana block; and Isherhel and Chunni Kalan in the Khera block of Fatehgarh Sahib district.
The Minister highlighted that successive past governments had neglected village ponds for over 15-25 years. Many of them had become severely silted, leading to stagnant water, foul smells, and mosquito breeding, posing serious environmental and health concerns. Now, under the direction of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, this situation is being reversed.
He informed that work is already underway in several villages. 1062 ponds has already dewatered and nearly 400 ponds already desilted. Depending on the condition of the ponds, both desilting and re-silting are being carried out to restore their natural ecosystem.
He further said that Senior officials have been instructed to prioritize field visits and actively monitor the progress of ponds cleaning. He said that Negligence from any officer or employee in this mission will not be tolerated.
Tarunpreet Singh Sond also noted that this initiative is part of a broader rural development plan, with the Punjab Government recently approving a development package worth Rs. 4,573 crore for villages. The government’s priority is to upgrade basic infrastructure in rural areas including pond restoration, regular maintenance, cleaning and the development of sports grounds.
Under the Thapar/Seechewal models, the government is also working to establish decentralized sewage treatment systems in villages. Water samples from these ponds are being tested, and if found to meet quality standards, the water will be repurposed for agricultural irrigation. Otherwise, water purification projects will be implemented before use.
The Minister emphasized that the government is committed to improving groundwater levels by clearing silt and draining contaminated water from ponds before the monsoon season. This will aid in recharging groundwater and help mitigate the state's depleting water table.
He concluded by saying that under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann and with the guidance of former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the mission to build a prosperous “Rangla Punjab” is progressing swiftly. Both the CM and cabinet ministers are personally monitoring the holistic development of Punjab’s villages.
Local MLAs from Fatehgarh Sahib, Lakhbir Singh Rai, and from Bassi Pathana, Rupinder Singh Happy, along with senior officials from various departments, were also present during the visit. Prior to the inspections, the dignitaries paid their respects at Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib.
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Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak lays foundation stone of Nature Awareness Camp at Talwara
Eco tourism project to be developed at a cost of Rs. 80 Lakh
Chandigarh/Talwara, Hoshiarpur, April 18:The Forests and Wildlife Preservation Minister, Punjab, Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak today laid the foundation stone of a Nature Awareness Camp at Hawa Mahal in Government Forest Karanpur C-3(B) at Talwara - 2 range under Dasuya Division.
The Cabinet Minister further pointed out that this project is being developed under Eco tourism which would cost Rs. 80 Lakh. This camp would be a first of it's kind near to the pong dam. It would include 2 temporary huts, 1 Kitchen, 1 dining hall and canteen for the local people.
A nature trail would also come up from camp to Talwara, a 2 Km distance. Besides, water sports facility would also be there for the tourists at Shah Canal barrage. Now, Pong Dam, which is a home for the migratory birds, would be a new stay for the tourists.
The Minister also said that the Forest Department is also training local youth as nature guide who would also make tourists aware about nature's beauty apart from taking them to see the birds. This project would be based on Income Sharing Model which would increase the income of local people.
He further divulged that rock Garden near Talwara is already a centre of attraction for the tourists. Furthermore, Chauhal Dam on Hoshiarpur apart from Maili Dam, Thana Dam and Dhar area in Pathankot have been developed as eco tourism centre with more in the offing.
Among others present on the occasion included the MLA Karambir Singh Ghuman, PCCF (HoFF) Dharminder Sharma, Conservator of Forests (North Circle) Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, DFO Anjan Singh Talwara - 2 and DFO Hoshiarpur Amneet Singh.
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Cabinet Minister inaugurates concretization of irrigation Channels worth nearly Rs. 4.80 crore
Chandigarh/Malout, April 18:The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to providing adequate canal water for agricultural irrigation across the state. This was stated by Punjab Cabinet Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, while inaugurating the reconstruction and concretization of irrigation Channels worth approximately Rs. 4.80 crore in various villages of Malout constituency, including Ghumiaran Khera, Jandwala, Ballamgarh, Lakhewali, Maur, Fakarsar, and Theri.
Addressing the gathering of farmers, the Minister emphasized that the developmental promises made to the people of the constituency are being fulfilled in a phased and committed manner.
During her visit, Dr. Baljit Kaur kick-started the construction work of a irrigation Channels in village Jandwala, adjacent to Malout Rajbaha, to be concretized at a cost of Rs. 66.32 lakh.
She also inaugurated the project for concretizing the irrigation Channels in village Ghumiaran Khera along Lalbai Rajbaha, for which the state government will spend Rs. 77.09 lakh. This initiative aims to ensure the smooth supply of canal water to tail-end agricultural lands.
Furthermore, the Minister inaugurated irrigation Channels concretization projects in Village Lakhewali (Rs. 57.05 lakh), Village Ballamgarh (Rs. 54.63 lakh), and Village Maur (Rs. 51.73 lakh).
Additionally, foundation stones were laid for projects worth Rs. 116.22 lakh in village Fakarsar and Rs. 57.85 lakh in village Theri, both involving the development of critical irrigation Channels for efficient irrigation.
On this occasion, several dignitaries were present, including Market Committee Malout Chairman Jashan Brar, Private Secretaries Arshdeep Singh Sidhu and Sinderpal Singh, Sarpanch Nirmal Singh, Members Veer Singh, Dheer Singh, Raja Singh, Block President Kulwinder Brar, Deep Inder Singh Dhillon, Vakil Singh, Prakash Dhillon, Sarpanch Jaspreet Kaur, Manga Singh, Panchayat Member Kuldeep Singh, Sarpanch Randhir Singh, Simarjeet Brar (Block President), Dilbagh Lakhewali, Sarpanch Gurbaj Singh, Sarpanch Joginder Singh, Labh Singh, Amarinder Singh, Block President Gurmel Singh and several other notable personalities.
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Shanan Power Project Punjab's Ownership: Harbhajan Singh ETO
Know facts first, before making unfounded statement regarding ownership of Project: ETO to Mukesh Agnihotri
Chandigarh, April 18: Trashing the statement made by Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri regarding Shanan Power Project, Punjab Power Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO on Friday categorically said that Shanan Power Project is the property of the Punjab State thus Himachal Pradesh Government has no right on this.
Power Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO in a statement issued here said that Mr. Agnihotri should first aware of the facts regarding the ownership of Shanan Power Project instead of making unfounded statements. In lack of information about the facts, Mr. Agnihotri is denting the strong mutual relationship of the both states.
S. Harbhajan Singh ETO reminded Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Cooperation Minister Mr Agnihotri that in 1966, the state of Punjab was reorganized, after that Government of India issued a notification on May 1, 1967 regarding the ownership of the assets and liabilities of the reorganized states. As per section 67(4) of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966, the Government of India allotted the assets and liabilities of Hydro Power House Joginder Nagar to the Punjab State Electricity Board, which is now providing services in the state of Punjab as PSPCL, he added.
The Power Minister said that the Act enacted by the Parliament becomes a law, which is a document that can be implemented without any changes. He said that the Punjab Reorganization Act determines the rights of the states therefore, the Shanan project is the property of the state of Punjab in toto.
S. Harbhajan Singh ETO said that the Ministry of Irrigation and Power, Government of India, vide its letter No. EL11.77(45)/71 dated 22-03-1972, had informed the Secretary, Multipurpose Projects and Power Department, Government of Himachal Pradesh that the notification dated May 01, 1967 regarding the allotment of power stations would not be revised. Apart from this, the issue regarding ownership of the property was also raised by the Government of Himachal Pradesh with the Power Department, Ministry of Energy, Government of India, which was again clearly rejected by the Government of India in the year 1987. It becomes evident that the allotment of Shanan Power Project to the State of Punjab is absolutely correct, which belongs to Punjab.
The Power Minister said that Mr. Agnihotri's mentioned the Ruler of Mandi was given this on 'lease' of 99 years to the Government of India and the Mandi was never ever part of Punjab. He also reminded Mr Agnihotri that as per the agreement between the Ruler of Mandi and the British Government, the construction of site started in 1925, which had been completed in 1932. ETO pointed out that after the formation of India, every district of Himachal was part of Punjab. He said that by giving such fabricated statements Agnihotri was trying to mislead the people, which was totally unacceptable.
The Power Minister said that in the year 2023, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh also mentioned the expiry of the lease of Shanan Power Project besides writing a letter to the Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann for handing over the project to the Himachal Government. To end the unnecessary pressure being created by Himachal Pradesh regarding the Shanan Power Project and to protect the interests of Punjab, a petition has already been filed in the Hon'ble Supreme Court by the Secretary (Power) of the Punjab Government, which is under consideration. Therefore, Mr. Mukesh Agnihorti should refrain from making statements regarding the Shanan Power Project, he added.
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‘YUDH NASHIAN VIRUDH’: ON DAY 49, PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS 124 DRUG SMUGGLERS; 2.5KG HEROIN, ₹2L DRUG MONEY RECOVERED
— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A DRUG-FREE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN
— POLICE TEAMS ALSO CONDUCT SEARCHES AT JAILS IN SIX DISTRICTS
— OVER 200 POLICE TEAMS LED BY 92 SP/DSP RANK OFFICERS CHECKED 490 SUSPICIOUS PERSONS: SPL DGP ARPIT SHUKLA
CHANDIGARH, April 18: With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state entered 49th day, Punjab Police on Friday arrested 124 drug smugglers and recovered 2.5 kg heroin, and ₹2.02 lakh drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 6573 in just 49 days.
The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav across the state. Police teams have also conducted special cordon and search operations (CASO) at identified drug hotspots in all the 28 districts from 3 pm to 6 pm simultaneously.
Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.
Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1400 police personnel, under the supervision of 92 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 464 locations across the state leading to the registration of 77 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 490 suspicious persons during the day long operation, he added.
The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced three persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.
Meanwhile, Punjab Police has also carried out search operation at different jails in six districts— Commissionerate Amritsar, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar Rural and Tarn Taran— to check any illegal activities in the jail. “Our Police teams have thoroughly searched every nook and corner including barracks, kitchen and toilets in the jail complex,” said Special DGP Arpit Shukla.
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PUNJAB POLICE'S RELENTLESS PURSUIT LEADS TO ARREST OF ISI-BACKED BKI’S OPERATIVE HAPPY PASSIA IN USA
— CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN'S ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY AGAINST TERROR YIELDS RESULTS
— DGP GAURAV YADAV HAILS LANDMARK ARREST, TERMS IT AS OUTCOME OF EXCELLENT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN UNITED STATES AND INDIA
— HAPPY PASSIA, CLOSE AIDE OF PAK-BASED TERRORIST HARVINDER RINDA, MASTERMINDED ATTACKS FROM US SOIL: DGP GAURAV YADAV
— PUNJAB POLICE TAKES UP MATTER WITH CENTRAL AGENCIES TO INITIATE PROCESS FOR PASSIA’S EXTRADITION
CHANDIGARH, April 18:In a landmark achievement in the ongoing war against terror launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police’s relentless efforts led to the arrest of Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, a USA-based key operative of the Pakistan-ISI backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and close associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda, in Sacramento, USA.
Announcing this Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Friday, termed it as a major success and said, “Today marks a major milestone in the sustained crackdown on ISI-backed terror networks, with the announcement of detention of Happy Passia by the United States authorities. This is the outcome of excellent international cooperation and exchange of information between the United States and India,” he said. He informed that Punjab Police has consistently shared intelligence inputs with the Central Agencies.
As per the information, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Happy Passia in Sacramento, California, on April 17, 2025.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that Happy Passia, a native of village Passia village Amritsar, began his criminal career with gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, and his USA based associates Darman Kahlon and Amrit Bal. Later, Happy Passia became a key associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda, operating under the direct guidance of Pakistan-based ISI, he added.
He said that Happy Passia was the primary handler of ISI-backed terror modules in Punjab and played a central role in orchestrating targeted killings, grenade attacks on police establishments, and extortion across the state between 2023-2025.
“Our investigation has found direct involvement of Happy Passia in majority of terror acts, which took place in the state after September 2024,” said the DGP, while adding that Passia was masterminding the terror activities sitting in USA, using a network of vulnerable youth struggling with addiction, recruiting them to carry out these acts in exchange for money and narcotics.
Punjab Police has meticulously tracked all the terror modules raised by the Happy Passia and successfully dismantled them, said DGP Gaurav Yadav, while adding that an extensive dossier on Passia’s activities was shared with central agencies and subsequently with US authorities, leading to his arrest. “Punjab Police has already taken up the matter with Central Agencies to initiate the process for Passia’s extradition to India as per the law,” he said.
DGP Gaurav Yadav emphasising it as manifestation that crime does not pay, said that any criminal indulging crime will have to come back and face the law. Punjab Police is determined to keep the state safe and secure, he added.
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