Udta Punjab: Drugs worth Rs 12 crores seized besides cash, liquor

Chandigarh: In poll-bound Punjab, police and other agencies have seized drugs worth Rs 12 crore after the implementation of model code of conduct in the state.

Besides this, Rs 5 crore 90 lakh cash and gold worth Rs 26 crore and liquor of Rs 2.5 crore have also been seized.

The Additional Chief Electoral Officer said that 1,061 notices have been issued for violation of model code of conduct.

At this time, 487 flying squad teams and 506 squad teams are working in the state to keep a vigil.

Till now, 12,792 complaints were received out of which 12,119 were resolved.

Fifty cases of paid news have been found out of which in 19 cases paid news has been confirmed.

Seven cases have been rejected while 24 cases are under consideration.

VVPAT facility will be provided at 33 constituencies of Vidhan Sabha and at two places of Amritsar Lok Sabha seat.

Drug menace is the main issue of contention this election season in the state, which is already facing a severe substance-addiction situation.

Meanwhile, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue to trade barbs over drug abuse in Punjab, setting the tone for a scorching campaign over the divisive issue ahead of Assembly polls.

While Gandhi has steadily targeted the ruling Badal family for their failure in addressing the problem of drug abuse in the state, the Prime Minister has accused the Congress of bad mouthing Punjab`s youth over the drug issue.