Haryana 40 per cent decline in extortion-related cases in 2025

Chandigarh, Jan 10 (PTI) Haryana recorded a 40 per cent drop in extortion-related incidents in 2025 compared to the year before, the police said on Saturday, asserting that decisive crackdown on organised crime and extortion rackets has led to the decline.
     "Compared to 2024, the state recorded a 40 per cent reduction in extortion-related incidents in 2025," an official statement issued said.
     Additionally, police foiled nine major targeted-murder conspiracies during this period, it added.
     According to the statement, Director General of Police (DGP) Ajay Singhal chaired a review meeting held at the Haryana police headquarters in Panchkula on Saturday.
     He highlighted the threats posed by gangsters and their overseas handlers, directing officials to deal sternly with individuals spreading fear or resorting to intimidation.
     Singhal said individuals who create an atmosphere of fear among citizens will be treated on par with terrorists and dealt with under the harshest provisions of law.
     He stressed that the only effective way to dismantle organised crime is to examine the entire structure of these networks and strike at their core.
     During the meeting, Inspector General, Special Task Force (STF), Satish Balan delivered a detailed presentation outlining the operational mechanisms used by organised criminal outfits, the statement said.
     He said several gangsters operate from foreign locations, managing their network 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 even attempt recruitment from abroad.
     Balan said the STF is maintaining continuous surveillance on such individuals and is working in close coordination with international agencies to facilitate their deportation.
     The meeting also discussed concerns over the growing trend of young people being influenced by gangsters through rapidly expanding social media channels. Criminals lure impressionable youth into performing minor tasks and gradually push them into serious offences, while gang leaders remain protected in remote or foreign locations, the statement said.
     To counter this trend, officials recommended expanding awareness and counselling programmes among youth, also emphasising the need to map specific regions where criminal influence is rising, enabling targeted prevention measures at the grassroots level, it added.
     The DGP directed officials to intensify the campaign against organised crime, asserting that the crackdown must continue until the entire ecosystem, including its financial foundation, is dismantled.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)