Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], February 2 (HBTV): Haryana has recorded a 40 per cent reduction in extortion-related incidents in 2025 compared to 2024, reflecting significant gains in the crackdown on organised crime and extortion rackets.
During a high-level review meeting at the Police Headquarters, Director General of Police Ajay Singhal said police teams successfully foiled nine major targeted murder conspiracies, preventing large-scale criminal violence and helping restore public confidence.
Opening the session, DGP Singhal highlighted the growing threat posed by gangsters and their overseas handlers, stating that no individual spreading fear or intimidation in the state would be spared.
Emphasising an uncompromising approach, he said that individuals who create an atmosphere of fear among citizens would be treated on par with terrorists and dealt with under the harshest provisions of law. He stressed that dismantling organised crime requires examining the entire structure of criminal gangs and striking at the core sources of their power.
During the meeting, Inspector General of Police, Special Task Force, Satish Balan delivered a detailed presentation outlining the operational structure and technological methods used by organised criminal groups. He said several gangsters operate from abroad, managing their networks through social media platforms, encrypted applications and internet-based calling systems.
Using virtual numbers and fake online identities, these criminals issue instructions, coordinate operations and attempt to recruit individuals from overseas. IG Balan informed the meeting that the STF is maintaining continuous surveillance of such individuals and is working closely with international agencies to facilitate their deportation.
DGP Singhal underscored the need to further strengthen coordination, noting that no country wishes to shelter criminals and that global cooperation is essential in tackling transnational crime networks.
The meeting also raised concern over the growing influence of gangsters on young people through rapidly expanding social media channels. Officials noted that criminals lure impressionable youth into performing minor tasks before gradually pushing them into serious offences, while gang leaders remain insulated in remote or foreign locations.
To counter this trend, officials recommended expanding awareness and counselling programmes for youth alongside sustained technical surveillance. They also stressed the need to map specific regions where criminal influence is increasing, enabling targeted prevention measures at the grassroots level.
The meeting concluded with a directive from DGP Singhal to intensify and sustain the campaign against organised crime. He said the effort cannot end with arrests alone and must continue until the entire ecosystem of organised crime, including its financial base, is dismantled completely.
(ANI)