Bhubaneswar: Acting on the directions of Odisha Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, a statewide “Special Drive” campaign launched on May 12 has led to large-scale action against criminals, narcotics networks, illegal mining operators and traffic violators across the state over the last 18 days.
The drive, conducted under the leadership of district Superintendents of Police and the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate, focused on execution of Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs), arrest of absconding accused persons, crackdown on narcotics smuggling, illegal arms, illegal mineral transportation and drunken driving.
According to the police, 5,703 NBWs were executed during the campaign, while 520 fugitive accused persons were arrested and forwarded to courts. Action was also taken against 957 habitual offenders under Section 129 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS), while proceedings were initiated against 2,620 persons under Section 126 of the BNS.
In the anti-narcotics crackdown, police registered 97 NDPS cases and arrested 137 accused persons. Seizures included 7,398 kg of ganja, 586 grams of brown sugar, 220 grams of heroin, 219 litres of cough syrup and 1,050 bottles of cough syrup. Police also seized 27 vehicles, 14 mobile phones, three pistols and cash worth ₹2.92 lakh. Besides, 2,154 excise cases were registered during the drive.
As part of road safety enforcement, 3,293 drivers were booked for drunk driving and their vehicles seized. Police collected approximately ₹6.46 crore in fines for various traffic violations during the operation.
The drive also targeted illegal cattle transportation, with police registering 29 cases, arresting 13 accused persons and rescuing 284 cows from 17 vehicles.
In action against illegal mining, police registered 654 cases and arrested 162 persons. A total of 878 vehicles, including trucks, tractors, trippers, power tillers and JCB machines, were seized.
Police also intensified action against illegal arms. During the operation, 31 cases were registered and 35 persons arrested. Seizures included 39 firearms and 29 live cartridges.
Among police ranges, the Central Range in Cuttack recorded the highest execution of NBWs with 1,519 warrants served, followed by Southern Range, Berhampur with 849 and Eastern Range, Balasore with 745.
The highest seizure of ganja was reported from the South-Western Range, Koraput, where 3,171 kg was confiscated, followed by Berhampur range with 2,862 kg.
In traffic enforcement, the Western Range, Rourkela collected the highest road safety fines amounting to ₹1.78 crore.
Police said the strongest action against illegal mining mafias was reported from Central Range, Cuttack, where 165 cases were registered and 42 persons arrested.
The Southern Range recovered the highest number of illegal weapons with 20 firearms seized, while the Northern Range seized nine pistols and 29 live cartridges.
The operation was conducted under the direct supervision of Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar.
DGP Khurania said Odisha Police remains committed to ensuring public safety and maintaining law and order, adding that such special enforcement drives against criminal and illegal mafia networks will continue in the coming days.