Chandigarh, Feb 4 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday announced that police officers will be held accountable for major crimes taking place in areas under their jurisdiction.

Interacting with Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendent of Police here, the Chief Minister was categorically clear that effective and responsive policing should be ensured to check crime in the state.

He said the Punjab Police “is one of the best forces in the country and its glorious tradition to preserve unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country should be maintained by all means”.

Mann said justice should be dispensed to the people and the ethos of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood should be cemented.

The Chief Minister said the government will put emphasis on police reforms to ensure that people benefit from it.

He said the motive is to ensure that the hard-earned peace of the state is maintained by all ways and means.

The Chief Minister said the government has already laid major thrust on the modernisation of the police in the state and Punjab Police is today being equipped with world-class vehicles.

CM Mann further said unlawful activities should be dealt with a heavy hand and those involved in this crime should not be spared.

He said the police officers should lay a major thrust on intelligence gathering and dispensation of justice to the common person.

The Chief Minister said the supply line of drugs in the state must be further snapped with heavy hand.

He said a zero-tolerance policy should be adopted against the drug menace and no one involved in this heinous crime should be spared.

Mann said he will monitor the action against drugs on a daily basis, adding a strategy must be formulated to make the youth at school and college level aware of the curse of drugs.