The year 2025 presented a stark paradox for the Punjab Police, marked by official claims of unprecedented operational successes overshadowed by a surge in brazen crimes, internal turmoil, and severe judicial scrutiny. While the force's leadership highlighted record drug seizures and arrests, the ground reality for citizens was defined by fear from targeted killings, extortion, and a perceived sense of impunity among gangsters.
A Year of Statistical Highs and Public Trust Lows
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, in a year-end review, presented impressive statistics. The police registered 29,784 cases and made 39,867 arrests. The anti-drug campaign, 'Yudh Nasheya Virudh', reportedly led to the recovery of a record 2,021 kg of heroin, along with 26 kg of 'ice' (methamphetamine), 698 kg of opium, 35,000 kg of poppy husk, and over 55 lakh pills. Drug money worth Rs 16.81 crore was also seized.
However, these figures offered little solace amidst a wave of violent crime. The business community was rattled by the daylight murder of a businessman in Abohar in July. Despite forming multiple teams, the police have failed to apprehend the three killers. The year ended with the Punjab and Haryana High Court taking suo motu cognisance of the murder of kabaddi promoter Kanwar Digvijay Singh (Rana Balachauria) on December 15, summoning the DGP to appear in January 2026.
Internal Crisis and Erosion of Authority
The police force's image and morale suffered multiple blows from within. In March, the assault on a serving Colonel and his son by police officers in Patiala, and the subsequent handling of the case, forced the High Court to order a CBI probe. The force was further destabilized by a series of suspensions perceived as politically motivated.
SSP Amritsar Rural Maninder Singh was suspended after the Tarn Taran by-election, following the suspension of Tarn Taran SSP Dr Ravjot Grewal by the Election Commission. The CBI raid on former Ropar Range DIG HS Bhullar, which led to the seizure of huge cash and gold, and the summoning of DGP Yadav by the ECI, created significant internal turbulence.
Other suspensions included ADGP-rank officer SPS Parmar (reinstated in August), SSP Fazilka (reinstated in August), and Vigilance officer SSP Jagatbir Singh during the Ludhiana West by-poll. This snap-of-finger suspension policy by the AAP government was seen as damaging to the force's middle-level leadership.
Operational Missteps and Political Pressure
Several incidents exposed serious operational failings. The mishandled arrest of Kanchanpreet Kaur, daughter of an SAD candidate in Tarn Taran, led to her release by a court that conducted a night hearing. An audio clip, allegedly of Patiala SSP Varun Sharma during local polls, was dismissed by police as an AI fake, a claim the High Court found inadequate, demanding a forensic probe.
Furthermore, the stopping of newspaper delivery vehicles in November under the pretext of checking for drugs was widely criticized as a strong-arm tactic. As the state moves closer to the next assembly elections, the Punjab Police faces a complex cocktail of challenges: cross-border threats, drone-borne drugs and arms, gangster-led extortion and killings, and mounting political pressure.
The track record of 2025, despite the tall claims on paper, suggests that regaining public confidence and operational integrity in 2026 will be an uphill task for the beleaguered force.
