Ludhiana: A resident of Toor Vanjara village in the Dirba assembly segment died at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana on Monday night after consuming a poisonous substance. The deceased, identified as Gulzar Singh, had confronted Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema regarding the rampant open sale of narcotics in the area during the minister’s recent visit to the village. The incident has triggered a sharp political backlash against the state administration from opposition parties over law enforcement and the ongoing drug crisis.
According to the deceased’s younger brother, Bikkar Singh, Gulzar had directly pleaded with Cheema for government intervention, disclosing that his own son had fallen into severe substance abuse and was selling household wheat stocks to sustain the habit. Following the public confrontation, family members and villagers alleged that Gulzar was subjected to severe harassment and compelled by local panchayat members to apologize for raising the issue before the cabinet minister. Distressed by the subsequent pressure and police involvement, Singh ingested Celphos and broadcast a dying declaration on social media before being rushed to local medical centres and ultimately transferred to DMC Hospital.
The Dirba police registered a formal case in connection with the death and arrested Baljit Singh, the husband of the Toor Vanjara village sarpanch, following allegations of abetment and intimidation. Police authorities confirmed that an investigation is actively underway to examine all circumstances surrounding the incident, including the victim’s digital statements and the conduct of local officials named in the family’s complaint.
