Anti-drug activist Parvinder Jhotta was shot dead during a confrontation in Mansa.
His Facebook broadcast captured an argument with a chemist over alleged sales.
Jhotta used social media to expose alleged drug supply through medical stores.
Who Was Parvinder Jhota, The Anti-Drug Activist Shot Dead In Punjab?
Jhota was known locally for campaigning against the alleged illegal sale of addictive medicines and narcotics. He frequently used social media broadcasts to question chemists and draw attention to suspected drug suppliers
Summary
Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, popularly known as Jhota, was shot dead by a medical store owner in Punjab’s Mansa during a confrontation over alleged drug sales. The argument and shooting were captured during a live broadcast on Jhotta’s Facebook account.
One of his companions also suffered serious injuries, according to reports. The shopkeeper reportedly closed the store and fled after firing, while police arrived as the activist’s supporters gathered.
Jhota was known locally for campaigning against the alleged illegal sale of addictive medicines and narcotics. He frequently used social media broadcasts to question chemists and draw attention to suspected drug suppliers.
His killing drew sharp reactions from Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, who accused the Bhagwant Mann government of failing to protect those challenging the drug trade.
Who Was Parvinder Jhota?
A social and anti-drug activist from Mansa district, Jhota focused on the alleged availability of banned or addictive substances through medical stores. His campaigns also raised concerns about narcotics, including chitta.
He regularly posted live videos of confrontations with shopkeepers whom he accused of supplying drugs. Through these broadcasts, he sought to document alleged transactions and demand police action.
Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring recalled briefly meeting Jhotta’s father and family in 2023, when the activist was arrested in what Warring described as a false case.
'Kill Me, Kill Me' Says Jhota During Confrontation
Jhota approached the pharmacy owner about an alleged drug purchase earlier that morning. In the approximately five-minute video, he stood with an elderly man whom he said had bought drugs from the store.
As the argument intensified, the shopkeeper was seen holding a pistol. Jhota questioned the presence of the weapon and repeatedly challenged him.
“Maar mujhe, maar mujhe (kill me, kill me),” he said.
“Why have you kept a pistol,” Jhota asked the owner.
He also instructed his associates to call police and gather more people, while demanding CCTV footage from the shop.
Advertisement
When the owner asked the elderly man whether he had purchased drugs from him, Jhotta replied: “Yes, we have the recording”.
The exchange continued for several minutes before the shopkeeper opened fire at close range, killing Jhotta.
Congress Blames AAP Government’s ‘Failures’
Warring linked the killing to what he alleged were failures in law enforcement and the implementation of the government’s ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ anti-drug campaign.
He said Jhotta had stood up against Punjab’s drug problem but had not received support from the AAP government.
“His broad daylight murder exposes serious failures of the AAP government,” Warring wrote on X. He also expressed condolences to Jhotta’s family and supporters.
Badal Questions Anti-Drug Campaign
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed shock over the killing and accused the government of ignoring Jhotta’s efforts against drugs.
Advertisement
Calling ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ a “gimmick”, Badal alleged that the administration was exploiting Punjab’s resources instead of addressing the drug problem and deteriorating law and order.
He accused the government of criminal negligence and described the situation as “jungle raj”.
Published At: