Punjab drug activist's murder: Accused's shop torched, bandh called

Mob vandalises and torches the medical store where anti-drug activist Jhota was shot dead; part of the accused's house is demolished.

Police arrest medical store owner Ashwani Kumar in Rajasthan; a joint action committee calls a Punjab bandh on Thursday.

Opposition leaders accuse the Mann government of failing to curb drugs and maintain law and order.

Anger over the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, popularly known as Jhota, spilled onto the streets of Punjab's Mansa town on Wednesday, 14 October, with a mob setting fire to the medical store where he was shot dead and authorities demolishing part of the accused's house.

Some members of the crowd, including Nihangs stones before being set ablaze amid loud slogans against the accused. The violence unfolded in the presence of a heavy police deployment, with people filming the destruction as the structure came apart. Some members of the crowd, including Nihangs, were seen participating in the vandalism.

Jhota, who had campaigned against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot dead in broad daylight at a busy marketplace on Tuesday.

The killing has triggered a political confrontation in Punjab, which is due to go to polls early next year. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has promised the strictest punishment for those responsible, while Opposition leaders have accused his government of presiding over a collapse of law and order, describing the situation as "jungle Raj".

Reiterating the government's zero-tolerance policy towards drug trafficking, Mann appealed to people to maintain peace. "An unfortunate incident has taken place in Mansa in which social worker Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead. I want to make it clear that Punjab Police will leave no stone unturned to ensure the strictest punishment for the culprits," Mann said in a video message. "Anybody found hatching a conspiracy in this matter will also not be spared."

Bathinda Range DIG Harjit Singh confirmed Kumar's arrest and said an FIR had been registered against two people.

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Dramatic scenes unfolded in the Veer Nagar area on Wednesday as an excavator demolished the front portion of Kumar's house, situated in a narrow alley. Residents climbed the boundary walls of neighbouring houses to watch the operation.

Police said the demolition followed information about unauthorised construction on the premises.

Authorities also initiated bulldozer action at Kumar's medical store, located around 700 metres from his house. However, an angry crowd subsequently vandalised the establishment and set it on fire. Furniture was dragged out onto the road and burned as slogans against the accused rang out.

The shop was the site of Tuesday's shooting, making it a focal point of public anger following Jhota's death.

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A joint action committee comprising several organisations has called for a Punjab bandh on Thursday, demanding that the investigation be handed over to the CBI. It has also sought a post-mortem examination at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, police detained Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manpreet Singh Ayali and his supporters after stopping them at Halwara Chowk in Jagraon while they were travelling to Mansa to offer condolences to Jhota's family.

Former chief minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi also accused the Punjab Police of preventing him from travelling to Mansa. A heated exchange reportedly took place between his supporters and police personnel when they were stopped. "Punjab Police is stopping us at the instance of the Mann government to hide its failure," Channi alleged.

Opposition targets Mann government

Several political leaders visited Mansa on Wednesday to meet Jhota's family and condemn the killing. Congress MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who met the bereaved family, described the murder as a "chilling reflection" of the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab. He called on Mann to resign if his government could not guarantee the safety of the state's residents.

Warring also accused the government of failing to tackle Punjab's drug menace, which remains a major political and social concern in the state.

Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh said his party stood firmly with Jhota's family and would raise its voice at every level to ensure justice. Addressing protesters in Mansa, Singh warned that the drug trade posed a serious threat to the future of Punjab's younger generation.

"Preventing drug trafficking, identifying the networks involved in this trade, and taking strict action against those responsible are among the government's primary responsibilities," the Jalandhar Cantt MLA said.

With PTI inputs

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