Punjab's law and order situation is among the best in the country, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav claimed on Sunday, citing official crime statistics to support his assessment and highlighting the state police's efforts to tackle organised crime and illegal firearms.
Addressing reporters at the Punjab Police headquarters during a briefing on the arrest of fugitive gangster Gurwinder alias Afridi, Yadav said data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) placed Punjab in a better position than several other states across various crime-related parameters.
"I would like to say that the law and order in Punjab is among the best in the country, if not the best," the DGP said.
Punjab Police, with assistance from central agencies, secured the deportation of Gurwinder from Ethiopia following a 10-month international manhunt.
Responding to questions about the law and order situation, Yadav referred to NCRB figures and other official statistics to argue that Punjab had recorded comparatively lower crime rates despite concerns over organised criminal networks.
๐ฃ๐๐ป๐ท๐ฎ๐ฏ'๐ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ
Citing the NCRB's 2024 report, Yadav said Punjab recorded a crime rate of 153.8 cases per lakh population, considerably below the national average of 252.3.
The corresponding crime rates for Haryana and Delhi stood at 368.5 and 1,258, respectively, according to the figures quoted by the DGP.
He said the statistics demonstrated that Punjab's overall crime rate remained substantially lower than those of several other regions.
Referring to official figures for 2025, Yadav said Punjab reported 652 murders, compared with 906 in Haryana.
Similarly, Punjab registered 428 rape cases during the year, against 1,033 in Haryana.
"Haryana's crime against women is three times that of Punjab," Yadav claimed.
The figures cited for murder and rape represent reported cases rather than population-adjusted rates. Comparisons between states must also account for differences in population and crime reporting.
๐ฉ๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
On violent crime, Yadav said Punjab recorded a rate of 25 cases per lakh population, compared with the national average of 52.9.
Haryana's corresponding rate stood at 48.2, while Delhi recorded 57.4, he said.
The DGP also highlighted Punjab's figures for offences against public tranquillity, saying the state recorded a rate of just 0.2 against the national average of 3.2.
He described Punjab's figure as the lowest in the country.
The corresponding rates for Haryana and Delhi were 8.7 and 0.3, respectively, according to the data he presented.
Yadav maintained that these indicators reflected the effectiveness of policing measures undertaken in the state.
He also said Punjab's chargesheet filing rate in violent crime cases stood at 82 per cent, describing it as one of the highest in the country.
The chargesheet rate indicates the proportion of investigated cases in which police file chargesheets, although it does not establish the proportion resulting in convictions.
๐ข๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฏ๐ด%, ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ
Highlighting the state police's campaign against organised criminal networks, Yadav claimed that organised crime had declined by approximately 38 per cent between 2025 and 2026.
He said police had intensified action against gangsters and other criminal elements operating within and outside Punjab.
The deportation of Gurwinder alias Afridi from Ethiopia was cited as an example of cooperation between Punjab Police and central agencies in pursuing wanted criminals abroad.
According to the DGP, the fugitive was brought back following a 10-month international operation.
Yadav also said police had seized more than 1,700 illegal firearms during the current year, most of which, he claimed, had originated in Pakistan.
The recovery of illegal weapons remains an important component of Punjab Police's efforts to curb organised crime and armed violence.
The DGP's assertion regarding the origin of the seized weapons was not accompanied by a detailed breakdown in the information provided.
๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐น๐
With Assembly elections in Punjab scheduled for early next year, Yadav assured that the state police would take necessary measures to maintain law and order during the electoral process.
"We will maintain law and order... We will ensure peaceful elections," he said.
The DGP said police would remain focused on preventing criminal activities and maintaining public safety ahead of the polls.
Reiterating his assessment of the state's security situation, Yadav said the overall picture presented by official statistics supported his claim that Punjab was performing well on major law and order indicators.
"Considering the totality of the situation, I will say very confidently that Punjab's law and order is among the best in the country," he said.
His remarks come as the state prepares for elections, with policing, organised crime and public safety expected to remain subjects of political debate.
The statistics cited by Yadav represent the Punjab Police chief's assessment of the situation, based on the official figures he presented during the briefing.