Four accused in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab's Mansa have been remanded to judicial custody until November 5. The accused, Ashwani Kumar, Neelam Rani, Vipan and Laddi, were produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajinder Nagpal through video conferencing on Thursday. Ashwani Kumar, the key accused in the case, was caught on camera shooting Jhota dead at his medical store in Mansa. He was later arrested in Rajasthan.
The development comes as the case continues to draw attention to Punjab's drug menace and the state government's handling of law and order.
PARVINDER JHOTA WAS SHOT DEAD AFTER CONFRONTING CHEMIST
Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead by a medical store owner in Mansa on the morning of October 13. The incident was captured on camera.
Jhota had gone to the pharmacy to question its owner over an alleged illegal drug sale earlier that morning. In the video, he is seen accusing the shopkeeper of selling drugs illegally to a man and threatening to take action against him. The confrontation escalated into an argument before the shopkeeper pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots at Jhota from close range.
Several bullets hit the activist, while one of his companions was also seriously injured. The shopkeeper subsequently shut the medical store and fled. Police reached the spot soon after.
Jhota was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead. His killing sparked grief and anger among his supporters, many of whom blamed the local administration for failing to protect those speaking out against drug abuse.
CONGRESS, AKALI DAL TARGET AAP OVER LAW AND ORDER
The killing triggered criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government from the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal, with opposition leaders questioning the effectiveness of its anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh.
Punjab is set to go to the polls early next year, and drug abuse remains a major political issue in the state. While the Opposition has questioned the impact of the government's campaign, the Bhagwant Mann-led administration has argued that the situation is being exaggerated for political gain.
Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring described Jhota's killing as a consequence of the government's failure to maintain law and order and effectively implement its anti-drug drive.
In a post on X, Warring said Jhota had stood up against Punjab's drug menace but had not received the support of the AAP government. He said the activist's murder in broad daylight exposed serious failures on the government's part and expressed condolences to his family and supporters.
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