An anti-drug activist was allegedly shot dead by a medical store owner in Punjab’s Mansa district on Tuesday after a confrontation over the alleged sale of addictive drugs. Videos of the incident, which have surfaced online, show the activist and his companions arguing with the shop owner before gunshots were fired.
Police launch efforts to arrest accused
The deceased, Parvinder Singh, alias Jhota, was known for speaking out against the illegal sale of intoxicating substances at some chemist shops. Jhota and his companions then ran out of the shop. Jhota was later found lying in a nearby shop, covered in blood. The incident has triggered widespread condemnation, coming amid anti-drug campaigns by the Punjab government and various political parties in the state.
The confrontation took place at a medical store in a busy market in Mansa when Jhota and others questioned the owner over the alleged sale of certain addictive drugs to a man, according to police. ” Maar, maar, tun saade fire maar (Open fire at us),” Jhota can be heard telling the shop owner, who allegedly opened fire soon afterwards, news agency PTI reported. He was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead, police said. Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Choudhary said efforts were underway to arrest the accused in connection with the killing.
