The anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead for his opposition to an illegal sale of addictive drugs on Tuesday, October 13, in Punjab’s Mansa district when he confronted a medical store owner, the official said. The incident was captured during a Facebook livestream and has fuelled criticism of Bhagwant Mann’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Jhota had been campaigning against drug abuse and for the alleged sale of intoxicating substances through chemist shops in Mansa and in the vicinity. He had also used social media to record confrontations with people who he suspected of being involved in illegal drug sales.
Jhota and the medical shop owner were in an argument, according to the first information, according to the report. The shop owner opened fire on the activist and the activist was killed. Jhota was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
Another person he was with was also reported to have been injured in the shooting.
What happened during the Mansa shooting?
Jhota had visited the medical store to question its owner about the alleged sale of drugs. In a Facebook livestream, he confronted the shopkeeper alongside an elderly man who was said to have purchased substances from the store.
The exchange got heated when Jhota asked the owner about the purported sale and asked to see the shop’s CCTV footage.
🚨 Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota has reportedly been shot dead in broad daylight in Punjab. Kejriwal has completely destroyed law and order in Punjab… https://t.co/tb9gU40nLD
— Mr Tiwaree ™ 🚨 (@MrTiwaree) October 13, 2026
The video showed the dispute escalating before shots were fired. The livestream ended when Jhota's mobile phone fell to the ground.
The incident attracted attention because footage of the incident was live and widely circulated on social media.
As far as illegal sales are concerned, the video does not do so. Police are investigating the shooting and the circumstances that led to it.
Police Launch Investigation, Search for Suspect
The shooter fired and police arrived on the scene and started investigating the incident. The medical store owner fled and was not at the store at the time of the shooting, according to initial reports.
Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary said special teams had been formed to trace and arrest the person responsible.
The investigation will look into the events leading up to the confrontation, the shooting and those that led Jhota to visit the store.
The case has not yet been publicly revealed at this time and details of the alleged illegal sale of drugs are not public. The investigation will then determine the sequence of events and who is actually responsible for what.
Who was Parvinder Singh Jhota?
Jhota had been known in Mansa and surrounding areas for his campaign against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive substances.
He used social media frequently to highlight suspected drug-related activities and confront people he believed were involved in them. His videos gained followers and raised questions about the availability of intoxicating substances in some areas of Punjab.
His activism also caused controversy. In 2023 he came in the spotlight over a dispute with a medical store owner. Police filed cases against Jhota and some of his associates for assault, trespass and rioting. He was arrested in July that year and released about two months later.
He was killed and the death has reignited concerns about the risks that people who directly confront individuals they suspect of involvement with illegal drug sales face.
Opposition parties target Punjab government
The killing drew criticism from opposition parties like the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Opposition leaders questioned the state government’s handling of law and order and its drug abuse campaign.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal condemned the killing and claimed that the state government's anti-drug initiative, Yudh Nashian Virudh, had failed to tackle the issue properly.
Congress leaders also criticized the AAP government regarding public safety and the enforcement of laws on illegal drug sales.
These statements represent the opposition’s political response to the killing. The allegations about the government’s performance and the circumstances of the case are separate from the police investigation.
Punjab's drug problem returns to focus.
Punjab is plagued by drug abuse, illegal drug distribution and addiction’s impact on families and communities.
The state government has carried out anti-drug campaigns but opposition parties have repeatedly questioned whether they have been effective.
Jhota’s murder has brought that back into focus on the alleged availability of addictive substances through some medical stores and the safety of people who attempt to expose suspected illegal activity.
The case also raises questions about the monitoring of medical stores and the enforcement of rules governing the sale of medicines and controlled substances.
Police investigations into the shooting and any evidence of illegal sales will be important to establishing the facts of the incident.
As the investigation goes on the authorities are under pressure to catch the culprit, establish the circumstances of the killing and take appropriate legal action.
Comments