A man was hacked to death in Punjab's Shri Hargobindpur for allegedly opposing the sale of drugs. The killing came just two days after anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead, leaving the state tense amid protests.
According to the information, the 40-year-old victim, Bikramjit Singh, and two other people were attacked with a sharp weapon after they objected to the sale of narcotics in Pannawan village.
While Singh died on the spot, the other two people were seriously injured.
The latest killing occurred even before tensions over Jhota's murder had fully subsided.
The activist, known for speaking out against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot dead inside a medical store in Mansa on Tuesday while hosting a Facebook Live.
He had reportedly confronted medical store owner Ashwani Kumar over the alleged sale of addictive drugs to an elderly man when Kumar opened fire.
Kumar was arrested in Salasar, Rajasthan, on Wednesday, police said.
Shops, markets and private schools across several districts in Punjab remained closed on Thursday during a statewide bandh called to protest Jhota's killing.
The shutdown was called by the activist's family with the support of the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, Samyukta Kisan Morcha, other farmer unions and state government employee bodies.
Authorities also initiated bulldozer action at Kumar's store, located around 700 metres from his house.
However, mobs, including some Nihangs, vandalised the shop with swords, sticks and stones despite a heavy police presence.
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