Main accused in Punjab anti-drug activist murder arrested, shop set on fire

A day after anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district, police arrested the main accused from Rajasthan, even as uneasy calm prevailed in the town, where an agitated crowd set the accused’s shop and its furniture on fire and local authorities demolished part of his house.

While people protested against the killing of Jhota by raising slogans, a portion of the house of the accused, Ashwani Kumar, situated in Mansa’s Veer Nagar, was demolished by an excavator, which the local authorities said was “unauthorised construction”. The police said Mr. Kumar was arrested at Salasar in Rajasthan. The bulldozer action was also initiated at Mr. Kumar’s store located about a few metres from the house.

Jhota’s broad daylight murder by the accused at his medical store on October 13 had sparked public outrage. Heavy, elaborate security arrangements were set in place in the town to ensure peace as a group of people were staging a protest in Mansa. Following the murder, a joint action committee comprising various organisations has given a call for a Statewide shutdown in Punjab on October 15.

CBI probe sought

The protesters are demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), besides the post-mortem to be conducted by the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh. Johta’s family refused to cremate the body until the demands were met. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Bathinda Range) Harjit Singh said the main accused Kumar had been arrested and a First Information Report registered against two persons.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said everyone responsible for the crime would face strict action, with the main accused already arrested within 24 hours. Urging people to maintain peace and communal harmony, Mr. Mann said, “Punjab has earned its peace through immense effort and sacrifice. We must protect this atmosphere of brotherhood and harmony at all costs. The government will take firm action against those responsible for this murder while ensuring that peace and law and order are maintained across the State,” he said in a statement.

He said if the investigation revealed the involvement of any other individual or organisation in the murder, they would also be not spared.