The Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), in a joint operation with Khanna police, on Monday demolished portions of a house linked to former sarpanch and drug trafficker Gurdeep Singh, alias Rano.GLADA says portions of property were unauthorised, police link action to anti-drug crackdown. (HT PHOTO)Officials said the action was taken after GLADA found parts of the property to be unauthorised. The demolition was carried out following enforcement proceedings and verification of the structure by the development authority.The property is located at Rano village in the Payal subdivision and is spread over nearly 11 kanals and 11 marlas.According to officials, a substantial portion of the structure had been declared unauthorised.District town planner (regulatory) Pardeep Kumar said the drive was conducted in accordance with state government directives and was led by GLADA law officer Digvijay Singh. He added that the building plan for the property had not been approved.Officials said GLADA and police teams had conducted a detailed measurement of the property on March 17. A writ petition filed by the family against the proposed demolition had already been disposed of, clearing the way for the action.Deputy superintendent of police (Payal) Harmanpreet Singh Cheema said Rano was facing more than 10 criminal cases related to drug trafficking and other offences. He said enforcement agencies were targeting not only drug smugglers but also properties suspected to have been acquired through proceeds of the narcotics trade.Khanna senior superintendent of police Darpan Ahluwalia said the campaign against illegally acquired properties linked to drug traffickers would be intensified in the coming days. Police records describe Rano as a key accused in a multi-crore heroin trafficking network with alleged cross-border links.He remained lodged in various jails in Punjab for nearly five years in connection with NDPS cases and was released on bail a few months ago.In November 2024, the Punjab government ordered his detention under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988..