Prominent anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight at a pharmacy in Mansa town on Tuesday morning.
The attack, which left his associate critically injured, occurred while Jhota was broadcasting a Facebook Live video to confront the store owner regarding the illicit sale of addictive pharmaceutical substances.
Jhota, a former freestyle kabaddi player, spearheaded the influential ‘Nasha Roko, Rozgar Do’ (Stop Drugs, Provide Employment) campaign. His grassroots initiative inspired the formation of civilian anti-drug task forces across the Mansa and Bathinda districts to protect local youths from substance abuse.
During the confrontation, the medical store owner allegedly drew a firearm and shot Jhota at point-blank range. Mansa Civil Hospital Senior Medical Officer Dr Gurmail Singh confirmed, “One of the bullets had pierced Parvinder's liver, leading to his death.”
The murder has sparked absolute outrage, triggering a massive political row over Punjab's deteriorating law-and-order situation. Addressing the media, Jhota’s grieving father stated, "Drug addicts killed my son with the backing of the Punjab government."
Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary announced that special police units have been deployed to capture the fleeing assailant.