Anti-drug activist's murder: Markets, private schools shut at many places after 'Punjab Bandh' call

Markets across Punjab remained closed and private schools were declared holidays on Thursday, October 15, 2026, following a bandh called in protest of the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. Jhota's family had organized the call for the bandh, backed by political parties like Congress, Akali Dal, BJP, and Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, as well as farmer bodies such as Samyukta Kisan Morcha and various union groups.

The activist, who was vocal against drug abuse and illegal sales of addictive substances, was shot dead in broad daylight at a busy marketplace in Mansa town on Tuesday, October 13.

Jhota's killer, Ashwani Kumar, was arrested from Rajasthan's Salasar on Wednesday. Following the bandh, shops and markets continued to remain shut in several locations, including Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, and Mansa, though emergency services functioned as usual. Many private schools in Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Moga, and Mansa also declared a day off due to the shutdown call.

Farmers' groups lent their support to the bandh, with the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee staging a protest in Amritsar against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government. The protest's leader, farmer Sarwan Singh Pandher, accused the government of failing to curb the drug problem and demanded resignations for Chief Minister Mann and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, urged citizens to support the bandh call and demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

The tragic event has led to a political showdown in Punjab, which is set to hold elections soon. Chief Minister Mann pledged a strict punishment for the accused, while opposition leaders claimed that law and order had completely collapsed in the state, describing it as "jungle raj." Mann reiterated his government's zero-tolerance stance on drug trafficking and appealed to citizens to maintain peace, vowing that anyone involved in the conspiracy would not be spared.