Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced that the investigation into the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), shortly before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state.
Mann announced the decision in a post on social media platform X on Tuesday.
Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight in Mansa on October 13. He was known for raising his voice against drug abuse and opposing the alleged illegal sale of intoxicating medicines at medical stores. According to reports, he was shot during a dispute over the sale of such substances at a medical store.
Police arrested the prime accused, Ashwini Kumar, who runs a medical store, from Salasar in Rajasthan.
Following the murder, Jhota’s family members and supporters launched protests, demanding a fair investigation and strict action against those responsible. They had refused to perform his last rites until their demand for a CBI probe was fulfilled. A sit-in protest continued in Mansa as they sought justice for the activist.
Chief Minister’s announcement comes amid mounting pressure on the Punjab government over the murder and growing political demands for accountability in the state’s fight against drugs.
