With eye on drug cases, Punjab govt to double STF’s strength
In order to further enhance the capabilities of the Punjab Police Special Task Force (STF) in combating the drug menace, the Punjab government is all set to double its strength.
According to a proposal mooted by Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, the STF’s present strength of 400 cops, including officials, is all set to be increased to 814 with more cops having training in technical investigations.
According to the proposal that is awaiting the home department’s formal nod, the idea is aimed at providing more investigating wings. “Investigation of drug cases over the period of time has changed with smugglers and drug lords adopting smart ways and amassing wealth from the illegal trade.
A need was felt to further strengthen the STF because effective investigation in these cases needs a strong probe based upon technical expertise,” a senior STF official said.
This week, DGP Gaurav Yadav inaugurated the state-ofthe-art STF’s intelligence and technical unit (SITU) established at the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in SAS Nagar. “This cutting-edge facility will boost our capabilities in combating the drug trafficking in #Punjab, leveraging advanced technology, software & specialised tools (sic),” Yadav had stated on his X handle (formerly Twitter). This lab, costing ₹12 crores, is equipped with advanced software systems tailored for the meticulous analysis of drug-related data, communication, social media engagements, financial transactions and the detailed profiling of drug traffickers.
As many as 43 technically skilled police personnel have been deployed to leverage these advanced resources. In April this year, the state government had allocated ₹14.6 crore to augment the STF’s capabilities, of which ₹1 crore was spent on construction of the unit, while softwares were procured through an ₹11 crore investment. The need to strengthen the STF was felt ever since it was set up during the erstwhile Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government when ADGP (now Special DGP rank officer who is on central deputation) Harpreet Sidhu was brought from the CRPF deputation to head this wing. Sidhu wanted to have at least 1,200 cops in this wing but the proposal could not see the light of the day. “The STF’s role is to go deep into the drug-related cases and analyse the new trends and suggest new strategies. More strength in the STF was much needed,” an STF official, wishing not to be named, said.