An Action Committee formed to seek justice in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota has called for a statewide Punjab bandh on Thursday, October 15. The committee is demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing and a post-mortem examination by a medical board from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.
According to reports, the committee has alleged a nexus between drug-related activities and the police. These allegations have not been independently established.
The committee has also announced that the Sirsa-Ludhiana main road will remain closed until its demands are met. The bandh call comes amid continuing protests in Mansa following Jhota’s killing on Tuesday, October 13.
The committee is seeking an independent investigation by the CBI and a post-mortem examination by a PGIMER medical board. It has also raised allegations of police links to the drug trade and demanded accountability.
The demands come as Jhota’s family and supporters continue to seek justice.
Jhota, 45, was shot dead in Mansa on October 13 during a confrontation with medical store owner Ashwani Kumar over the alleged sale of intoxicating substances. The confrontation was being livestreamed on Facebook.
Police identified Kumar as the main accused. According to reports published on October 14, he was apprehended in Salasar, Rajasthan. Four other people were reported injured in the firing.
The police have cited an old personal rivalry as a possible motive, while Jhota’s supporters have raised concerns about the alleged sale of drugs and police accountability. The investigation is ongoing.
The Action Committee has appealed for a statewide bandh. However, the call does not automatically mean that all schools, colleges, shops, offices and transport services across Punjab will remain closed.
The impact will depend on local participation, administrative decisions and possible road blockades. In Mansa, markets and several educational institutions were already closed amid protests on October 14, according to media reports.
Residents should check local announcements and transport updates before travelling on Thursday, particularly around Mansa and the Sirsa-Ludhiana road.
