CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday vowed the strictest punishment for those involved in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, as outrage over the daylight killing spilled into a second day and tensions remained high in Mansa town. Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, called for a statewide Punjab Bandh on October 15. The demand received widespread support from opposition parties, farmer unions, and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Hours after Jhota was shot dead in Mansa, police on Wednesday arrested the accused pharmacy owner, Ashwani Kumar, from Rajasthan. Meanwhile, anger against the killing spilled onto the streets, with a mob setting the chemist’s shop ablaze and authorities razing a portion of his house.
Political parties including the Congress, Akali Dal, BJP, and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha along with various farmer and employee unions extended their support to the Thursday bandh call. The bereaved family has refused to cremate the body.
Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot in broad daylight at a busy marketplace on Tuesday.
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