Punjab anti-drug crusader Parwinder Jhota shot dead: Stir erupts in Mansa
The daylight murder of anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh Jhota has brought Punjab’s drug problem back to the centre of the state’s political discourse, putting the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on the defensive as the Opposition steps up its attacks ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Jhota was shot dead at a medical store in Mansa on Tuesday during a confrontation with its owner, Ashwani Kumar, over the alleged sale of intoxicating drugs.
Jhota had been campaigning against drug abuse and using social media videos to highlight the alleged illegal sale of addictive pills. He had reportedly visited the shop after an individual claimed to have purchased drugs there.
The killing triggered outrage in Mansa, with various political groups and organisations calling for a Punjab bandh on Thursday. They have also demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter and the resignation of Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav and CM. The organisations have started a dharna outside the mortuary of the civil hospital in Mansa and said Jhota’s last rites would not be done till their demands are met.
“Had the police been doing its job properly, why would a common man need to turn into an activist?” asked advocate Gurlabh Singh Mahal, a Mansa resident, while speaking to The Indian Express.
Opposition lashes out
The BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which have launched their own campaigns against drugs, slammed the Mann government over Jhota’s killing.
Demanding a CBI probe into the activist’s killing, Punjab BJP chief Kewal Dhillon accused the AAP government of failing to maintain law and order. He also called for the Chief Minister’s resignation, alleging that the drug problem had spiralled out of control.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal described the killing as a reflection of the “collapse of law and order” in Punjab. He said Jhota had repeatedly raised his voice against drugs but had received neither adequate support nor attention. Calling Yudh Nashean Virudh a failure, Badal accused the government of neglecting the deteriorating situation in the state.
Former Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also targeted the government, saying the daylight murder exposed the failure of law and order. He questioned the safety of those confronting the drug trade and demanded accountability from the state government.
The BJP conducted a 13-day Nasha Mukt Yatra from September 18 to 30, and has already identified drugs as a major issue for the 2027 Assembly elections. The SAD, too, has placed the issue at the centre of its outreach, with Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal leading the Mawan Dhiyan Insaaf Yatra to highlight the impact of drugs on women and families.
AAP promises action
Responding to Jhota’s murder, Mann called a high-level meeting of Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police.
AAP general secretary Baltej Pannu condemned the killing and said the government would take strict action against those responsible.
“No person in Punjab is permitted to take the law into their own hands. Strict action will be taken against the guilty,” Pannu said.
Mann’s anti-drug drive under scrutiny
Jhota’s killing comes amid a series of incidents over the recent past in which residents have challenged the government’s claims about its anti-drug campaign.
On September 2, Mohanjeet Singh Sheron of Sheron village in Sangrur district allegedly waved a black flag at Mann from the rooftop of a neighbouring house while the Chief Minister was addressing a Lok Milni in the village. Sheron was booked and spent a day in police custody. He later alleged that he had been tortured in custody, saying his protest was intended to highlight the easy availability of drugs in the area.
On September 6, Gulzar Singh, a Dalit man from Toor Banzara village, questioned Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the effectiveness of Yudh Nashean Virudh during a gathering at the village gurdwara. He claimed that chitta (heroin) was freely available and cited his own son’s addiction.
The following day, Gulzar allegedly consumed a poisonous substance and died later that evening. His family alleged that he had been threatened by the village sarpanch, the sarpanch’s wife and two panchayat members for raising the issue.
On September 20, Jagseer Singh alias Jagga Singh of Namol village in Sangrur allegedly attempted suicide outside the mini-secretariat, accusing the police of failing to act on complaints against alleged drug suppliers. He also accused the village sarpanch of harassment and assault. He survived the attempt. Police subsequently said nine FIRs were pending against him, including cases under excise and narcotics laws and rape charges.
More recently, on October 11, a young man in the audience at a Lok Milni in Meemsa village in Sangrur interrupted Mann, saying the drug problem remained unresolved. He was dragged out of the programme shortly afterwards.
Seizures in numbers
According to figures released by Punjab Police up to October 6, the campaign had led to the seizure of 4,198 kg of heroin, 1,009 kg of opium, 481 quintals of poppy husk, 1,750 kg of ganja, 65.85 lakh intoxicant tablets and capsules, and 78 kg of ICE (crystal methamphetamine). The police also reported the seizure of Rs 22.58 crore in drug money, the registration of 64,598 FIRs and the arrest of 82,739 alleged drug smugglers.
The figures indicate the scale of the enforcement action claimed by the government. However, continuing allegations of easy drug availability, coupled with the killing of an activist who had confronted the alleged trade, have given the Opposition fresh grounds to question the campaign’s impact on the ground.
