Following the killing of anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa by a chemist and the mounting concerns over the easy availability of habit-forming pills in the state, the Punjab Police have sought amendment to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, to tackle illegal sale and misuse of pharmaceutical drugs.Speaking on the sidelines of the 67th Police Commemoration Day today, DGP Gaurav Yadav said, “During a recent anti-drug meeting with the civil administration, we discussed the problem of handling pharmaceutical drugs coming from outside the state and its high impact in the south Malwa belt of Punjab. The police should be given power just like the drug inspectors. Certain habit-forming drugs should be included in the NDPS schedule.”“We have not just flagged the issue with the Centre but have also taken it up with the Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Police chiefs to jointly raise the issue,” he said.On the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday and the intervention of the CBI into the Jhota’s murder case, DGP Yadav said, “On our part, we acted promptly by getting the FIR lodged and making four arrests. On the demand of the family, the Punjab Government decided to hand over the case to the CBI.”“We respect the sentiments of the protesters. The state government has sent a team of its officials to handle the matter. Since I have not gone there, I cannot comment much,” he said.Speaking on the issue of ‘forcible cremation’ of Gulzar Singh in Sangrur, the DGP said, “The matter is subjudice. We have submitted our report.”He said that the police had been working hard to dig out evidence in a scientific matter regarding the killings of ASIs in the border areas of Punjab. “We have unearthed some modules and handlers. We have also established Pakistan links in some cases. The case involving the killing of ASI Gurnam Singh at the Adhian police post in Gurdaspur has been worked out,” he said.Yadav added that the police have achieved a 90 per cent conviction rate in the NDPS cases, with 13,000 convicts being sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. He said 60 per cent of India’s heroin haul was from Punjab.