Chandigarh, Oct 13 Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh alias Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot dead in broad daylight in a busy market in Punjab’s Mansa town.
Police are on the lookout for the medical store owner, who chased and opened fire on the activist and his companions as the public watched in horror, allegedly enraged over being questioned for the sale of addictive drugs to an elderly man.
The incident has invited widespread condemnation from political leaders, who cornered the ruling AAP government over the deterioration of law and order in the state.
Following the murder, the activist’s supporters held a protest outside the Civil Hospital in Mansa, while his family refused to cremate the body.
Jhota’s father slammed the AAP government, saying that drugs are sold openly in the state and his son was killed while fighting the menace.
“He was killed by drug traffickers. We demand that the Government of India dismiss the Punjab government. Drugs are openly sold here. My son Parvinder Singh Jhota was killed by drug traffickers,” his aggrieved father told reporters.
The elderly man said the family will not cremate Jhota’s body, urging the public to assemble for a dharna in Mansa.
“I am sad that my son has been killed. He had saved thousands of lives,” Jhota’s father said.
The incident took place on Tuesday morning, when the activist and some others arrived at a medical store in Mansa town and questioned the owner for selling addictive drugs to an elderly man.
Jhota was also recording the arguments on his mobile phone.
In a 5-minute-49-second video that surfaced online, Jhota could be heard saying that the medical store owner had taken out his pistol.
“Maar, maar, tun saade fire maar (Open fire at us),” Jhota is heard telling the store owner.
In the video, Jhota is heard telling the medical store owner that the elderly man had bought certain drugs from his shop. When the shopkeeper asks the elderly man about the claims, Jhota says he has a video recording of it.
As the argument goes on, Jhota is heard asking the store owner, “What is the need to take out a pistol? Did we say anything to you? This elderly man has bought it (drugs) from you.”
He says further, “We will call the drug inspector, Ashwani (store owner). Are we saying anything to you? You keep the pistol down. Are we beating you up?”
“He is holding a pistol and selling drugs!” Jhota remarks.
The medical shop owner then opens fire, which was recorded in the video. On this, Jhota and his companions run out of the shop.
In another video made by a passerby, the medical store owner is seen coming out of his shop brandishing a weapon and going after Jhota, who runs for cover. The video shows many people scrambling to save their lives upon spotting the shopkeeper with the gun. The man opens fire again.
As people in the market watch in horror, a man throws a box at the shop owner, which hits his head. Unfazed, the shopkeeper returns to his store. Later, the video shows Jhota lying soaked in blood in a nearby shop.
He was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Mansa, where he was declared brought dead.
Four among the people who accompanied Jhota to the store also sustained bullet injuries.
Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Choudhary said efforts to nab the accused were underway.
Jhota had been actively raising his voice against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive drugs at chemist shops in Mansa and surrounding areas. He also used to share videos on social media.
In 2023, the activist had garlanded a medical store owner with shoes and paraded him in the market for allegedly selling banned drugs. Back then, an FIR was registered against the shop owner, and Jhota was booked for assault and trespassing.
Political leaders across Punjab on Tuesday decried the anti-drug activist’s murder.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Baltej Pannu condemned the murder and promised to take strict action against the accused.
“The murder that took place in Mansa is highly condemnable. Information is coming in that it was committed by a person running a chemist shop. No one is permitted to take the law into their own hands. Strict action will be taken against the guilty,” said Pannu.
Opposition parties cornered the Bhagwant Mann government alleging deterioration in the law-and-order situation.
“Parvinder Jhota, who was fighting against the drug menace in Mansa, was shot at and subsequently died. Bhagwant Mann, will anyone who dares to speak out be killed? People of Punjab, unite and demand answers and the resignation of this government!” Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia said in a post on X.
Congress MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring described Jhota’s daylight murder as a direct result of the “failed law and order” and AAP government’s “failed anti-drug drive Yudh Nashian Virudh.”
“Parvinder stood up against Punjab’s drug menace, but the AAP government never supported his initiatives. His broad daylight murder exposes serious failures of the AAP government,” Warring said.
State BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon also criticised the AAP government over the law-and-order situation.
In an X post, Dhillon said, “Jungle Raj in Punjab. The brazen murder of Parvinder Jhota, who raised his voice against drugs in Mansa. The AAP government, which claims to bring ‘badlav’, should tell us, is this your change? Bhagwant Mann ji, have mercy on Punjabis, resign and spare Punjab.”
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed shock over the murder.
“This heinous murder is a stark reminder that law and order has ceased to exist in Punjab. The deceased had been continuously raising his voice against the drug menace, but no one took heed, and no one supported him,” Badal said.
“The much-hyped Yudh Nashian Virudh is nothing but a gimmick and has completely failed. Recent events have exposed how the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP dispensation is completely engrossed in looting Punjab and draining the state’s resources to enrich itself. They pay zero attention towards the deteriorating situation in the state. It is because of this criminal negligence that Punjabis are suffering every single day. This jungle raj must end,” Badal added.
(PTI News)
