Chandigarh :, May 28 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has ordered formulation of SOPs to combat gang related crimes in Punjab and Haryana.

"It is baffling to see that in spite of the widespread nature of this malady, no legislative framework to combat the same exists in the states of Punjab and Haryana. Addressing a similar situation in Maharashtra about two decades ago, the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act, 1999, was promulgated," the HC bench of justice HS Brar said while issuing a slew of directions.

The court was dealing with a petition from a Haryana resident, wherein the gaps in the manner of probe into complaints about threats from a gangster was highlighted by the petitioner. It was in April that HC had direc...