Jhota, 42, was facing at least seven cases, since 2009, officials said. Parvinder Singh, alias Jhota, the anti-drug activist from Mansa, who was gunned down in broad daylight, was no stranger to controversies. Known for conducting aggressive, self-styled vigilantism against what he alleged to be illegal pharmaceutical drug sales, Jhota’s methods repeatedly brought him into conflict with the police, who accused him of taking the law into his own hands.
Jhota’s relationship with the police and drug regulatory authorities was strained, as he frequently accused officials of failing to deal firmly with alleged drug traffickers. Ashwani Kumar, who allegedly shot Jhota dead, was also accused by the activist of selling certain drugs without prescriptions. Bhim recalled that his son was arrested by the Chandigarh Police after a clash, but the criminal case, which affected his sporting career. He is survived by his elderly parents, two children, aged nine and six and his wife, a teacher at a private school in Jawahar Ke village in Mansa district.
In July 2023 too, Jhota had allegedly paraded Kumar through the market with a garland of shoes around his neck over similar charges. His father Bhim Singh said that his son was an ardent boxer and cricketer, according to a police statement issued on Wednesday.
