Ahead of Amit Shah visit, Punjab hands anti-drug activist’s murder case to CBI

The decision to hand over the Parvinder Singh Jhota murder probe to the CBI came amid protests by his family and supporters demanding an independent probe into his killing in Mansa.

Hours before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Mansa in Punjab to meet murdered anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota’s family members, the Punjab government on Tuesday said it has referred the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Besides Jhota’s family, Shah is scheduled to meet the families of Bikramjit Singh, who was allegedly hacked to death in Mari Panwan village in Gurdaspur district on October 15, and Gulzar Singh, a daily-wage worker from Toor Banjara village in Sangrur district, whose alleged suicide has triggered controversy over allegations concerning drug sales.

Shah is also scheduled to attend a Dussehra event at Daresi Ground in Ludhiana, where an effigy symbolising chitta (heroin) is expected to be burnt alongside Ravana’s effigy.

In a post on X, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced, “In our continuing fight against drugs, we shall not step back. Keeping in view the demand made by the family of deceased [Parvinder Singh Jhota], we are handing over this case to CBI.”

Murder had triggered outrage

The decision came amid sustained protests by Jhota’s family and supporters demanding an independent probe into his killing in Mansa on October 13. The murder triggered widespread outrage across Punjab and intensified scrutiny of the state’s handling of drug trafficking and law and order.

Jhota, 42, was shot dead in public inside a medical store in Mansa during a confrontation with its owner, Ashwani Kumar, whom he had accused of selling addictive substances. The incident occurred while Jhota was livestreaming on Facebook. Kumar was subsequently arrested in Rajasthan.

The killing sparked protests in Mansa, with the family refusing to cremate Jhota’s body until its principal demands for justice were met. The agitation soon widened into a broader campaign seeking accountability from the state government and action against officials alleged to have failed to address complaints concerning the accused.

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Family flagged wider conspiracy

Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, a retired Army serviceman, demanded that the investigation be handed over to the CBI, expressing a lack of confidence in the state police investigation.

The family alleged that the killing needed to be examined beyond the immediate shooting incident, including whether there was a wider conspiracy and whether anyone else had played a role. Bhim Singh also questioned whom the accused had allegedly been speaking to on his mobile phone shortly before the shooting.

The accused’s medical store was demolished after the incident, and a portion of his house was also pulled down by the administration over alleged unauthorised construction. These developments unfolded amid mounting public anger and calls for swift action.

On October 19, a government-appointed panel met Jhota’s family and members of an action committee, but the talks remained inconclusive. The administration said the demands raised during the meeting would be placed before the government for consideration.