Killing of Parvinder Singh Jhota: Punjab’s drug menace and the questions it raises | Explainer

Medical store owner Ashwani Kumar has been arrested in Rajasthan, allegedly for shooting dead anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa district, Punjab. According to sources, Jhota was killed in broad daylight after confronting Kumar at his medical shop for allegedly selling drugs to an elderly man. The incident was recorded during a live Facebook session hosted by Jhota.

After the murder, Kumar fled the scene and police initiated a manhunt to apprehend him. Jhota was known for his activism against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances in chemist shops. Following the murder, Jhota's supporters vandalized the medical store, and his family declined to cremate his body as a protest.

The shooting incident has left the town of Mansa in a state of tension, with his supporters reacting strongly to the incident. The opposition parties have targeted the ruling AAP government, accusing them of a breakdown in law and order. They have also raised concerns about the safety of individuals who speak out against the drug menace.