Killing of Parvinder Singh Jhota: Punjab’s drug menace and the questions it raises | Explainer
Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot and killed in Punjab's Mansa district following a confrontation at a chemist shop. The incident has sparked public protests and intensified political pressure on the Aam Aadmi Party government regarding its handling of the state's drug crisis.
Why it matters
The murder highlights the ongoing volatility of Punjab's drug epidemic and the risks faced by activists challenging illicit substance trade, posing a significant political challenge to the ruling administration.
The story so far: Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug crusader, was shot dead on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) at a local medical store in Punjab’s Mansa district, sparking immediate outrage in the State, which has been battling drug abuse for decades.
On Tuesday (October 13, 2026), the Punjab Police’s anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (Fight Against Drugs) entered its 591st day; however, the killing of Jhota has put the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the defensive over the State’s poor law and order and its pre-election promise to rid Punjab of drugs.
The Police asserted that preliminary investigation into the murder of Jhota has pointed towards personal enmity as the motive behind the crime, even as Jhota’s family and supporters refused to cremate the body, blaming the State government for its failure to curb substance abuse.
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2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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