Anti-drug activist Parvinder Jhota shot dead in Punjab; Opposition attacks, Bhagwant Mann government under scrutiny

Anti-drug activist Parvinder Jhota shot dead in Punjab; Opposition attacks, Bhagwant Mann government under scrutiny

The broad-daylight shooting of anti-drug activist Parvinder Jhota in Mansa, Punjab, has caused a stir. Reports indicate that the firing occurred during a dispute over the sale of drugs at a pharmacy; Jhota was killed, and four of his associates were injured. The police are investigating the matter, including the possibility of an old rivalry. Jhota’s murder has heated up the political atmosphere in Punjab. The Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP, and Congress have questioned the Bhagwant Mann government regarding the drug trade and the law-and-order situation. The BJP has demanded the Chief Minister’s resignation. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has assured that the culprits will not be spared. Ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, the issues of law and order and the drug menace have once again taken center stage in the political discourse in Punjab.