CBI team reaches Punjab town for probe into anti-drug activist's murder

Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota's killing on October 13 sparked widespread protests in Punjab, prompting CM Bhagwant Mann to hand over the probe to the CBI.

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team reached Mansa in Punjab late Tuesday night to investigate the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. The development came five hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Jhota's family, where he assured them of a thorough probe and said a CBI team would arrive soon.

The CBI team contacted Mansa police authorities and took over the case files related to the murder. The team is scheduled to meet Jhota's family members on Wednesday.

"A CBI team has arrived in Mansa regarding the investigation of the murder case. We have interacted with them and handed over the case files. We will extend full cooperation to the CBI in the investigation," Pushpinder Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mansa, said.

Jhota, 42, was shot dead inside a medical store in Mansa on October 13 during a confrontation with its owner, Ashwani Kumar, whom he had accused of selling addictive substances. The incident occurred while the anti-drug activist was livestreaming on Facebook. Kumar was subsequently arrested in Rajasthan.

Family yet to allow post-mortem examination

The killing sparked protests, with the family refusing to cremate Jhota's body. The agitation widened into a broader campaign seeking accountability from the state government and action against officials alleged to have failed to address complaints concerning the accused.

Jhota's murder case was transferred from the Punjab Police to the CBI following demands from his family, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announcing the decision via a social media post on Tuesday.

Marking the ninth day of their ongoing protest, the family has yet to allow the post-mortem examination of the body.