Chandigarh, Oct. 30 -- Under fire from the Opposition, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday blamed successive Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP and Congress governments for drug menace and gangsterism in the state, accusing them of indulging in politics over drug-related deaths.

AAP leader and cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that since coming to power, the Bhagwant Mann government had consistently acted against drug trafficking and gangsters by setting up special teams, conducting extensive raids, and arresting criminals.

He said the Anti-Gangster Task Force worked to bring back criminals who fled abroad to evade the law.

Citing official figures, he said 2,105 proclaimed offenders (POs) have been apprehended, while 81,499 individua...