5 booked for abetment of suicide after Dalit man drinks poison and dies following caste abuse in Punjab
The 47-year-old man drank poison after villagers allegedly humiliated him publicly for questioning Punjab minister Harpal Cheema about the local drug problem.
A daily laborer from Sangrur, Punjab, named Gulzar Singh, 47, passed away after consuming poison. Singh had publicly criticized Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the widespread availability of heroin in the state. Singh claimed that his son had become addicted to drugs, and that he had raised this issue during a recent visit by Cheema to his village.
According to Singh, following his meeting with Cheema, someone visited his home and threatened him for speaking out about the drug problem. Singh alleged that the village sarpanch, panchayat members, and his son were responsible for the threats. Singh's death has once again brought attention to Sangrur district, which is home to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The incident has also raised concerns about the availability of emergency medical care in government hospitals across Punjab. Singh's family claims that he was threatened after questioning the minister, but Finance Minister Cheema denied any involvement in the incident.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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