CHANDIGARH, Feb. 9 -- Punjab Police announced the launch of the second phase of its anti-gangster campaign, Operation Prahaar-2, starting Monday, with a focus on nabbing wanted criminals. The 72-hour statewide operation focuses on wanted criminals and will start on Monday. Our purpose is to make Punjab safe and secure by giving a sense of security to common people, director general of police Gaurav Yadav said, while speaking to reporters here. The DGP on Sunday reviewed the progress of Yudh Nashian Virudh and phase one of the anti-gangster campaign with all the commissioners of police, senior superintendents of police, range inspector generals of police and deputy inspector generals of police. The development came days after 'Operation Prahaar-1', which was launched on January 20 to dismantle the entire ecosystem of organised crime, resulted in the arrest of 3,256 individuals in 72-hours and 69 weapons were recovered from their possession. Phase one of the operation aims to dismantle weapon supply chains, logistics, safe houses and communication networks linked to organised crime syndicates, with cops targeting 60 identified gangsters based overseas, about 1,200 of their associates in Punjab, and nearly 600 residences of their family members, along with hundreds of suspected hideouts. Yadav said starting Monday, phase 2 will be conducted till Wednesday, and senior officers from the Punjab Police headquarters have been deputed for effective supervision of the operation. "As many as 2,000 teams of 12,000 policemen will conduct this 72-hour operation in the entire Punjab," the DGP said, while clarifying that the police are out to arrest persons who are wanted in a crime. "For effective supervision across police districts, special DGP, ADGP, IGP, and DIG-rank officers have been allocated police districts to oversee work, with the directive that accountability will be fixed for any lapses found," he added. To enhance visible police presence and strengthen the crime response mechanism across the state, the DGP said that a standard operating procedure (SOP) on operational preparedness has also been issued to all the CPs/SSPs and range IGPs/DIGs. "All CPs/SSPs have been directed to personally visit all important scenes of crime to supervise investigations and ensure the tracing of heinous offences. As part of the confidence-building measures, all the district chiefs have been directed to personally conduct field visits in high footfall and hotspot areas," he added. DGP Yadav said that the state's police force is being significantly augmented by auditing and mobilising force deployment from non-core duties to strengthen round-the-clock high-tech nakas and city sealing points. "Following reports that many vehicles are moving without numbers, which are being used in crimes, the operational directions have also been issued to intensify the checking of vehicles, with a specific focus on challaning and impounding vehicles, especially two-wheelers, moving without number plates," he added. Properties built in Punjab with extortion money by foreign-based gangsters are also under the scanner, a top police officer said, adding that the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) set up by the police has started the process for extraditing 38 out of 61 foreign-based gangsters. "Such properties are already under the scanner. Following legal procedure, their properties will be targeted," he said, adding that under the ongoing anti-drug drive, properties owned by drug smugglers are being demolished. "Besides, illegal assets of drug smugglers are being frozen under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," the DGP said. OFTEC is headed by DIG Counter-Intelligence Ashish Choudhary to expedite the extradition of gangsters who are operating from different countries. On the anti-drug drive, which was launched in March 2005, Yadav said that the police registered 33,779 FIRs and made 48,167 arrests, resulting in the recovery of 2,149 kg of heroin, 649 kg of opium, 28,527 kg of poppy husk, 48.31 lakh intoxicating pills/capsules and Rs 15.91 crore cash from their possession....