Chandigarh, July 8 -- The ongoing drive against drugs has witnessed a paradigm shift in the dynamics of crime reporting with information provided by commoners through the 'Safe Punjab' helpline and portal increasingly becoming the basis of registration of FIRs as compared to human intelligence-based traditional policing. A comparative study of the registration of FIRs, done by Punjab Police, since the inception of the portal on August 28, last year, shows that the information received from the tipline has led to the registration of 27% of FIRs in the past five months from March 1 to July 5 as compared to mere 2.7% from August 28, 2024, to February 28, this year. During Phase 1 of operations, till February 28, the helpline received a total of 1,665 complaints. Based on these complaints, 41 FIRs were registered following due investigation, leading to the arrest of 46 individuals. This resulted in a conversion rate of 2.46% (41 FIRs out of 1,665 complaints), reveals the Punjab Police data (accessed by HT) revealed. However, from March 1 to July 5, when the portal was strengthened with a focus on ensuring the secrecy of the informers, a remarkable surge in public engagement has been observed, the data revealed. In this period, 11,792 complaints have been received, resulting in the registration of 3,238 FIRs and the arrest of 4,299 accused. The conversion rate during this phase increased significantly to 27.45%, marking a substantial improvement in responsiveness and operational efficiency, a police official said. Since its launch, the 'Safe Punjab' portal has received a total of 13,457 complaints (1,665 in Phase 1 + 11,792 in Phase 2). Out of these, 3,279 FIRs have been registered (41 in Phase 1 and 3,238 from Phase 2) reflecting an overall conversion rate of 24.06%. Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the 'Safe Punjab' tipline has brought a paradigm shift in getting information on the ground. "When we say that full eradication of drugs is not possible without public participation; Safe Punjab is a platform for the public to participate. It not only gives us the real ground-level picture but also helps us in getting crucial information to crack on drug trafficking," the DGP said. Data further showed that using traditional policing methods, a total of 8,978 FIRs were registered from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, across various police stations in Punjab, leading to the arrest of 12,377 accused. However, after the 'Safe Punjab' portal, in just three months, from April to June this year, 2,904 FIRs were registered through complaints received on the portal, resulting in the arrest of 3,844 accused. Notably, the 'Safe Punjab' anti-drug helpline (97791-00200) is a flagship initiative of the Punjab Government aimed at providing anonymous, accessible, and non-judgmental support to individuals grappling with drug-related issues. "This 24x7 helpline serves as a vital platform for citizens to seek assistance, share information about drug traffickers, support rehabilitation efforts, raise awareness, and offer feedback or suggestions. The helpline enables users to upload videos, audio messages, text, and location data, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly reporting experience. In a unique feature, the platform also provides anonymous feedback on action taken based on the information shared by informants," special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla said. Shukla added the tipline not only ensures enhanced public participation in the fight against drug abuse but has also resulted in creating sources for the police....