MANSA — Anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh Jhota, who led grassroots campaigns against narcotics trade in the region, was shot dead on Tuesday morning outside a chemist outlet in Mansa district. Two other individuals sustained bullet injuries during the confrontation and were shifted to a medical facility for urgent care.
Hospital authorities reported that Jhota had already succumbed to his gunshot wounds before arrival at the emergency wing, according to Senior Medical Officer Dr. Gurmail Singh. A large police contingent arrived at the crime scene shortly after the firing to secure the perimeter and initiate forensic assessments, with district investigators working to confirm the exact sequence of events leading up to the fatal attack.
Jhota had been actively mobilizing village communities and local panchayats across Mansa to curb illegal narcotics sales, frequently confronting suspected peddlers and urging authorities to act. Tensions reportedly escalated earlier in the day when he visited the medical store to record video documentation, alleging that the store operator had illicitly supplied intoxicating pharmaceutical pills to a customer.
Video footage shared by Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia showed Jhota filming inside the premises and questioning the shopkeeper before an argument flared up and shots were fired. The killing has triggered sharp political reactions across Punjab, with opposition figures targeting the state administration over deteriorating law and order and the persistent threat of illicit drug networks.
