Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday vowed the strictest punishment for those involved in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, even as outrage over the daylight killing spilled into a second day, with tensions remaining high in Mansa town.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced its support for the bandh call. “The chief minister and the DGP, if their conscience awakens, should resign on their own. Taking to X, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that chief minister Bhagwant Mann was solely responsible for the current state of affairs in Punjab.
Bhim Singh, speaking to reporters in Mansa, criticised the government’s failure to prevent the attack and announced a statewide shutdown on October 15, demanding political accountability and an independent investigation. A call has been issued for a ‘Punjab bandh’ tomorrow, October 15.
On behalf of the committee, as well as all joint forums, activists, political parties, and organisations, we earnestly appeal to the people of Punjab to observe this shutdown starting from the morning,” Singh said. “We appeal to all Punjabis to extend peaceful support to this call, as it is for demanding justice for the anti-drug crusader and protecting our children from the clutches of the drug mafia,” he posted.
“We have launched a war against chitta and other drugs. Anyone found involved will face strict action, irrespective of who they are,” he added. The chief minister also appealed to the people to maintain peace and assured that all those found responsible for the incident would be punished.
Because senior bureaucrats are involved, “Drug peddling continues. Instead of taking action against them, the government is harassing people at the village level; therefore, action must be taken against those responsible, and everyone should come forward to fight,” he said.
Mann said his government followed a zero-tolerance policy towards drug smuggling and did not protect anyone involved in the drug trade. Addressing a group of protesters in Mansa, Singh said, “Preventing drug trafficking, identifying the networks involved in this trade, and taking strict action against those responsible are among the government’s primary responsibilities. Dhillon said the incident was extremely unfortunate and deeply concerning. “A high-level investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and justice for the victim’s family will uncover the truth behind the killing,” he said.
Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh on Wednesday said his party stands firmly with the family of the anti-drug activist and will raise its voice at every level to ensure justice for him. He stated that the BJP had held district-level protests across Punjab on Wednesday over this demand and submitted memorandums to the governor through deputy commissioners, seeking a CBI probe. He said that BJP workers would participate in the Punjab bandh tomorrow in large numbers and that the party would vigorously raise the demand for justice in this case. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) on Wednesday condemned the incident, with state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan backing the bandh call. Ugrahan urged people to protest together at the village, city, tehsil, or district headquarters on Thursday.
