DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand police after killings of 8 police personnel in an encounter with dreaded criminal has identified 31 'Gangs' in the state. The police has started a 'hunt' to nab members of these gangs and keep eye on their activities of suspicion.

DGP (Law & Order) Ashok Kumar said, "We have made a list of groups and individuals against whom serious cases are registered. Suitable action will be taken against them. Our aim is crime free state and society."

Meanwhile, the state police taking a cue from brutal killings of 8 police personnel by gangster Vikas Dubey's henchmen in Kanpur on July 3 has issued new guidelines for raid and conducting operations. According to new guidelines, thorough intelligence gathering, recce of the area and sufficient backup force will be necessary. 

The state police department officials added that they do not want any such incident in Uttarakhand under any circumstances. The police officials are also instructed to keep an eye on unauthorised entry of Kanwar yatris in the state as the yatra stand suspended for this year due to COVID-19.

The devotees come from the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to Uttarakhand. Last year, more than 3.5 crore devotees visited Haridwar through the yatra in the auspicious month.