Chandigarh, March 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
In a secure operations room in Punjab, screens glow with call records, digital maps and intelligence alerts. Phones buzz with field updates from districts across the state. For the officers inside, this is the nerve centre of a quiet but relentless battle against organized crime — one that increasingly aims to stop gang violence before the first shot is fired.
Over the past few years, Punjab Police has moved steadily toward intelligence-led policing, combining human intelligence with technology to track gangster networks that operate across states and even continents. Many of the state’s most notorious gangs now function through decentralised cells, with foreign-based handlers issuing instructions while local operatives execute shootings or extortion.
To counter this evolving threat, investigators are turning to digital tools that allow them to piece together fragments of information into actionable intelligence.
One of the most significant initiatives has been the use of data-driven criminal databases and voice recognition systems. Recently, Punjab Police compiled more than 72,000 voice samples of criminals and suspects into the Punjab Artificial Intelligence System (PAIS), a mobile-based application designed to quickly identify individuals behind extortion and threat calls.
Such technology is critical because extortion rackets have become a major arm of gangster activity in the state. Investigators say many threats are issued through internet-based calls or encrypted messaging apps, often from overseas numbers, while local shooters are recruited to intimidate victims.
“Every call, every message leaves a digital trail,” said a senior police officer familiar with the operations. “Our job is to connect those dots quickly enough to prevent the crime.” That approach has already helped thwart several planned attacks.
In one case, intelligence gathered by the Police led to the arrest of two operatives linked to a foreign-based gangster who had been tasked with carrying out a targeted killing in Punjab. Acting on the tip-off, police teams intercepted the suspects before the attack could take place and recovered a pistol and ammunition from them.
The arrests were the culmination of surveillance that tracked communications between gang handlers and local recruits, a pattern that investigators say is increasingly common.
Punjab Police has also expanded specialized units to focus exclusively on organized crime. The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) now operates with statewide jurisdiction and a dedicated police station and specialized force, enabling officers to pursue investigations across district boundaries without procedural delays.
Within these units, analysts monitor criminal networks much like intelligence agencies track security threats. Call data records, financial transactions and travel patterns are examined to identify links between gang members, financiers and facilitators.
The effort extends beyond India’s borders. Police estimates suggest around 60 Punjab-linked gangsters are currently based abroad, particularly in countries such as Canada and the United States, where they continue to orchestrate criminal activities through local associates.
Tracking such networks requires coordination with central agencies and international law enforcement bodies. Fugitive tracking cells have been established by Punjab police to monitor these overseas operators and pursue their extradition.
Alongside technology, traditional policing methods remain crucial. Informant networks and anonymous tip-offs continue to provide the first clues about impending crimes. Punjab Police has even introduced a dedicated helpline allowing citizens to confidentially report gangster activity, ensuring information flows directly to specialized anti-gangster units.
This blend of human intelligence and digital analysis has begun to change the nature of policing in the state. Instead of responding only after violence occurs, investigators increasingly aim to dismantle the planning stage itself by identifying shooters before they reach their targets and intercepting weapons before they are used.
For officers working inside the state’s crime-monitoring hubs, the objective is straightforward: anticipate the next move of criminal networks and disrupt it.
FOLLOW NOW
