CENTRE SEEKS REPORT FROM PUNJAB OVER JHOTA MURDER; FAMILY REFUSES TO ACCEPT BODY FOR FOURTH DAY.

FIVE DEMANDS REMAIN UNRESOLVED; TWO FIRS REGISTERED OVER VANDALISM AND ALLEGED PROVOCATIVE SPEECHES

Naresh Kumar/Mansa 

The Centre has sought a response from the Punjab government over the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa, even as his family refused to accept his body for the fourth consecutive day, insisting that their demands be met before his last rites are performed.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Ministry of Home Affairs would seek a report from the Punjab government on Jhota’s murder and a separate incident in Dirba (Sangrur )in which a man allegedly consumed poison under pressure. He also questioned the state government’s handling of law and order, citing concerns over drugs, gangsterism and organised crime.

Jhota, who had campaigned against the alleged illegal sale of addictive substances, was shot dead in broad daylight in Mansa on Tuesday. The alleged main accused, medical store owner Ashwani Kumar, was arrested in Rajasthan following a joint operation by the Punjab and Rajasthan Police. The killing triggered widespread outrage, protests and a statewide shutdown on Thursday. Markets and commercial establishments remained closed at several places, while farmer organisations and other groups staged demonstrations and blocked roads to demand justice for the activist.
Family firm on five demands

Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, has maintained that the family will not accept the body until its demands are addressed. The body remains at the Mansa Civil Hospital, with the family seeking justice and accountability for the killing.
The demands include a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, and action against police and other officials allegedly responsible for lapses.
The family has also sought the dismissal of senior district police officials and the concerned drug inspector, besides a post-mortem examination by a medical board at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

The administration has held discussions with the family and organisations supporting the agitation, but the standoff remained unresolved on Friday.

Police action amid controversy

Meanwhile, the killing and the subsequent protests have prompted action against police personnel. Mansa City-2 police station SHO Beant Kaur has been suspended amid allegations of negligence, while departmental action against DSP Harjinder Singh Gill has also been recommended.

Police have also named the accused’s wife and other persons in the murder investigation as part of efforts to establish whether they had any role in the crime. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the weapon allegedly used and the possible involvement of others.

Separately, reports said two FIRs had been registered in connection with vandalism and alleged provocative speeches during the protests. The cases relate to the unrest that followed the killing, including the demolition and burning of the accused’s medical store by an angry crowd. Authorities had also demolished part of the accused’s house, citing alleged unauthorised construction.

The registration of the cases has added another dimension to the tense situation, with the authorities facing the challenge of investigating the murder while maintaining law and order.
Political pressure mounts

The incident has intensified the political debate over Punjab’s drug problem and the state government’s law-and-order record. Opposition parties have criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government and supported the family’s demand for an independent investigation.

Shah said the murder of an activist who had raised his voice against drugs had raised serious questions about the safety of people in Punjab. He also referred to allegations made by Jhota’s father against the state government and an AAP legislator.
The Punjab government has assured strict action against those found guilty in the murder case. Police have said the investigation is continuing to establish the motive and determine whether others were involved in the crime.

With the family refusing to accept the body and insisting on fulfilment of its demands, uncertainty continued over Jhota’s last rites on Friday.