Panchkula: Panchkula police removed around 70 encroachments, rescued 135 women and children from begging, and arrested 34 drug traffickers with contraband worth ₹6.3 crore during a series of specialised campaigns across the district.During a press briefing, commissioner of police Pankaj Nain stated that the 15-day anti-encroachment drive targeted illegal structures on roadsides and public land. Supported by Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), police teams used bulldozers to clear govt land after verifying the identities of migrants and suspicious persons living without supporting documents.The special drives covered Sectors 1, 5, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, and 21, alongside Chandimandir, Pinjore, Kalka, and Raipur Rani. Station house officers (SHOs) and emergency response vehicle (ERV) teams have been directed to maintain strict monitoring to ensure the encroachments do not return.“Unidentified persons staying without verification could sometimes be involved in drug trafficking, theft, or other criminal activities, posing a threat to law and order and public safety,” Nain said, adding that similar actions will continue across remaining areas of the district.Simultaneously, under the 10-day “Begging-Free Panchkula” campaign, police rescued 135 children and women who were begging under the guise of selling items like balloons and pens. Most of the individuals hail from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and were sent back to their native places after police summoned their families to issue warnings.In a month-long anti-narcotics offensive named “Operation Maidaan 2.0,” police dismantled local supply networks by registering 22 cases under the NDPS Act. The total seizure of ₹6.3 crore included 2.7 kg of heroin, 11.7 kg of opium, 931 grams of charas, 1 kg of ganja, and 67 grams of cocaine.
