Hours before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Punjab on Tuesday, the state government handed over the investigation into the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh ‘Jhota’ to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the decision in a post on X, saying the government had accepted the demand made by Jhota’s family. He said the government stood with the activist’s father and family in their fight against drugs.
In his post in Punjabi, Mann said the case was being handed over to the CBI in response to the family’s demand. He added that the government would continue taking strict action against drug traffickers and would not hesitate to take tough measures to make Punjab drug-free.
A CBI investigation was among the key demands raised by Jhota’s family and the action committee formed to seek justice for him.
Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead at a chemist shop in Mansa on October 13. According to the information provided, he had allegedly confronted the shopkeeper, Ashwani, over the sale of drugs before the shooting. The incident was streamed live on Facebook.
Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, a former serviceman, had been demanding a CBI probe into the murder. The family and the action committee had also sought accountability from the state government and police over the killing.
Jhota’s body remains at the Civil Hospital in Mansa, as the family has not yet given consent for the post-mortem examination. The delay comes amid continuing demands from the family and supporters for justice and action against those responsible for the killing. The announcement of the CBI probe comes as public anger over the murder continues to grow. The killing has triggered protests in different parts of Punjab, with demonstrators demanding strict action against those involved.
Protesters have also raised concerns over the alleged nexus between drug traffickers, politicians and police personnel.
The state government’s announcement came hours before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Punjab on Tuesday. Shah is scheduled to visit Mansa, Sangrur and Gurdaspur.
The visit comes against the backdrop of recent drug-related incidents in Punjab, including Jhota’s murder. The killing has also become a major public issue, with his family and supporters seeking an independent investigation.
On October 15, a bandh was observed in Punjab over the killing and related demands. The protests called for justice for Jhota and strict action against those responsible.
With the state government now handing over the case to the CBI, the investigation will be taken up by the central agency. Further developments will determine the next steps in the probe into Jhota’s murder.