Ensuring a safe and secure Punjab is our priority: new DGP

Chandigarh: Senior IPS officer Dinkar Gupta, who took over as new Punjab police chief on Thursday, said a safe and secure Punjab has always been the priority of the police force of the border state facing many challenges.

Pointing out that Punjab shares over 550 km of international border with Pakistan, Gupta said the state police has to counter terrorism, tackle gangsters and drug menace, besides curtailing other crimes.

"A safe and secure Punjab has always been the priority of the force and this will continue to be our priority," said the new director general of Punjab police.

He made the remarks while interacting with reporters at the Punjab police headquarters after taking over as the new police chief of the state.

Replying to a question, Gupta lauded the work being done by the Special Task Force of the state police in tackling the drug menace.

Be it the reduction of drug supply, enforcement of anti-drug laws or working for the de-addiction of drug addicts, both the STF and district police have done good work in the past two years, he said.

On the Punjab police busting some terror modules in the past including the Pakistan's ISI-backed one with the arrest of a Patiala resident last November, Gupta said, "The Punjab police has always lived up to the challenge to defeat the nefarious designs of enemies."

Gupta succeeded Suresh Arora, who was on extension after his retirement last September.

Prior to taking over as state police chief, Gupta worked as the chief of the intelligence wing of the Punjab police. His responsibilities included direct supervision of the Punjab State Intelligence Wing, State Anti-Terrorist Squad and Organized Crime Control Unit.