The Union Home Ministry indicated on Friday it would formally seek an explanation from the Punjab government regarding two incidents within the state — the death by self-administered poison of a father in Dirba, reportedly carried out under duress, and the daytime killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa — with Union Home Minister Amit Shah conveying the Centre's position on both matters.
Writing on X, Shah described Punjab as contending with interconnected pressures from narcotics, gang activity, and organised criminal networks. In a social media post, Shah directed a question at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann about who bears responsibility for the welfare of Punjab's people, citing the two episodes as a basis for examining the state of law and order across the state.
The two incidents Shah referenced were a Dirba resident who consumed poison amid reported pressure, and the broad-daylight killing of Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa, an individual known for speaking out against drug use. Jhota's father has directed accusations at the Aam Aadmi Party administration and one of its sitting legislators.
On Tuesday, gunfire at a busy Mansa marketplace left Jhota dead. The shooter was identified as the owner of a local pharmacy. Ashwani Kumar, identified as the proprietor of the store, faced arrest after discharging a firearm at Jhota during a questioning session over alleged drug sales to an older customer.
Gulzar Singh, a resident of Dirba in Sangrur district, died by suicide on September 7, and Shah identified that case as the opening example in his account. Relatives of Gulzar have stated that he took poison following a period in which he faced caste-based abuse and harassment, reportedly linked to his act of raising concerns with Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the availability of drugs in his neighbourhood.
In his post on X, Shah called on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to move beyond public messaging and deliver concrete action, stating that residents of Punjab expected accountability on drug trafficking, organised crime, and the protection of those who speak out — along with a transparent inquiry into any political connections shielding criminal networks. Shah also renewed a commitment that an incoming administration under his party would pursue a Punjab free of drugs, gang activity, and insecurity.
The home minister outlined four priorities: targeting the narcotics trade, safeguarding the futures of young people, holding those who break the law to account, and upholding a legal order under which no resident lives in fear.
In reply to Shah's social media post, Mann drew attention to a narcotics haul intercepted at a Gujarat port and called on the home minister to focus on the responsibilities attached to his own office. In a Punjabi-language post on X, Mann directed his remarks at Shah, suggesting that Shah would have benefited from seeking counsel before making any public comments about him.
Roughly 3,000 kilograms of synthetic drugs, locally referred to as 'chitta', were intercepted at Kandla port in Gujarat, within an area where the BSF holds enforcement authority extending up to 50 kilometres.
With assembly elections in Punjab drawing closer, drug-related policy has worked its way onto the platforms of several competing parties, the BJP included. At a BJP rally held in Jalandhar the previous month, marking the conclusion of the party's "Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra" campaign, Shah stated that the AAP-led state government had permitted an open trade in chitta, and put forward a pledge that a BJP government, if returned to power, would render Punjab free of drugs by December 2029.
On 30 September, Shah's Jalandhar itinerary included meetings with households that had been affected by the narcotics problem. The home minister stated that people involved in the drug trade would face prosecution and imprisonment, and that a change of government would allow authorities to address the drug problem within two years.
