Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was laid to rest in Mansa, Punjab. His family has demanded a CBI probe, alleging political and police conspiracy in his murder, while calling for justice against those protecting the drug traffickers.
Mansa Bids Farewell to Anti-Drug Activist
Mansa (Punjab) [India], November 8 (ANI): The mortal remains of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota reached Mansa on Sunday for his last rites, as a large procession of supporters showered flower petals on his body and raised slogans of "Parvinder Jhota Amar Rahe" (Long live Parvinder Jhota). Jhota's mortal remains were brought from PGI Chandigarh to Mansa, where a large number of people gathered at the protest site to pay their final respects. Following the procession, his body was taken to his residence. His last rites will subsequently be performed in the family's agricultural fields.
Family Alleges Conspiracy
Speaking to ANI, Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, alleged that political leaders and police officials were involved in a conspiracy behind his son's murder. He demanded a thorough investigation into the case and the immediate transfer of the local Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). "It has been 28 days... The Punjab government, in collusion with the local police administration, conspired with drug traffickers to orchestrate the murder of Parvinder... The real killers—the primary political conspirators behind all of this—are still roaming free. Those under whose patronage this murder was carried out have yet to be apprehended. Even the police officers involved are moving about openly. We will find no peace until this matter is thoroughly investigated and these political conspirators are sent to prison... The youth of Punjab are being destroyed day by day—they are being hunted down. We demand from the Central Government—specifically the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Home Minister—that if justice is to be served, the local SSP must be transferred immediately. The reason he has not been transferred is that political leaders from the 'Jhadu Party' (Aam Aadmi Party) are shielding this police officer..." he said.
Honoring a Martyr
Earlier, family members had described Jhota as a warrior who stood against drug abuse and sacrificed his life for society. They said his fight against the drug menace should inspire the youth of Punjab to join the campaign against narcotics. "Our warrior is arriving. We feel so much joy—people usually mourn, but we are joyous. We belong to that community: we were broken on wheels, boiled in cauldrons, and sawn alive with saws. He is our warrior," a family member told ANI while preparations were underway for the last rites. Another relative, Jaspal, said flowers were being showered on Jhota in recognition of the title of martyr conferred upon him by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. "Flowers are being showered because the supreme authority is Sri Akal Takht Sahib, from where he was conferred the title of martyr. The Almighty's grace is upon him; in Punjab, our ten Gurus fought 14 battles and sacrificed everything for us. This warrior of ours also did so much for us, and we need to learn from his example," he said.
Campaign Against Drugs
The family had also appealed to the youth on the occasion of Diwali to pledge to stay away from drugs and actively participate in efforts to eradicate drug abuse from Punjab. Jhota, known for leading campaigns against the drug menace in Punjab, was shot dead on October 13 inside a medical store in a crowded marketplace in Mansa. He had confronted pharmacy owner Ashwani Kumar over the alleged illegal sale of prescription drugs to an elderly man and was livestreaming the confrontation on Facebook when the firing took place. The incident also left four people injured. Mansa police arrested Kumar and three others within 24 hours of the incident. Following the killing, Jhota's body remained in the mortuary of Mansa Civil Hospital without an autopsy, as the family had refused to allow the post-mortem examination. The family had demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and state Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav as a precondition. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has re-registered the murder case and initiated a detailed investigation into the killing. (ANI)
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