Punjab anti-drug activist Jhota’s digital footprint: multiple videos, questions over police inaction

Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was killed in Mansa, posted multiple videos condemning illegal drug sales by medical stores and accusing corrupt police officers of accepting bribes. Over the course of six months, his postings centered on chemists he alleged were supplying banned drugs, and alleged collusion between shopkeepers and authorities.

One such video from April 19 showed him pointing to a person he claimed was purchasing banned capsules, alleging corrupt police officers registered false cases against him and his supporters. He also documented the toll of addiction on families and targeted minor drug sales through a 14-year-old decoy. Videos allegedly conducted in July and September featured stings, claims of minor drug sales, and alleged bribery by authorities.

Jhota's campaign extended to documenting the human cost of addiction, featuring videos of people suffering from severe addiction and deaths allegedly linked to drug use. His social media presence detailed legal cases registered against him, his family, and other anti-drug activists, portraying them as facing difficulties while campaigning against drugs.