The last rites of activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who waged a war against drugs in Punjab, took place in his native village after 26 days. His funeral pyre was set on fire in the fields of Jhota on Chakerian Road. The body was brought here after post-mortem at PGIMER, Chandigarh on Saturday. A large number of people attended the funeral.
Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot in broad daylight in a busy market in Mansa city on 13 October. He was doing Facebook Live at a medical store. He had questioned the shop owner for selling drugs to an elderly person. After this the shop owner opened fire on him. The accused shop owner was later arrested.
Also read: Parvinder Singh Jhota murder case: CBI raid on medical hall in Mansa creates stir
Agreement reached with the government after 22 days of strike
Jhota's father Bhim Singh appealed to the youth of Punjab to take a pledge against drug addiction. He said that his son sacrificed his life fighting this evil. He told journalists that he was thankful to the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which stood by him the entire time. JAC is also known as Parminder Singh Jhota Insaaf Action Committee. This is a joint committee of different social organizations and workers formed in Punjab after Jhota's murder.
Jhota's body was brought to PGIMER Chandigarh from the mortuary of Mansa Civil Hospital in the early hours of Friday. Earlier on November 4, a meeting was held with representatives of the Punjab government. After this the family ended their 22-day-long protest and agreed for the post-mortem. The family and JAC were sitting on a dharna in Mansa demanding justice.
Why were those demanding justice arrested?
Two JAC members, Lakhveer Singh and Mohanjeet Singh Sherron, were arrested during the protest on 28 October. Government representatives including Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddiyan were present in the meeting on November 4. After this, on the evening of 5th November both the members were released from Nabha District Jail. Due to this incident, political rhetoric intensified in Punjab. Elections are to be held in the state early next year.
Also read: He himself used to take drugs, then how he became an anti-drug activist, the story of Parvinder Singh Jhota.
AAP government is surrounded by increasing drug addiction
The opposition targeted the AAP government over the alleged drug problem in the state. Many leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress's Sachin Pilot, Punjab Congress President Pargat Singh, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal and Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon came to meet Jhota's family. The JAC continued to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.
CBI is investigating Jhota case
On the demand of the family, the Punjab government had handed over the investigation into Jhota's death to the CBI. A police station in-charge, a DSP and a drug inspector were suspended in this case. The family was demanding construction of a trauma center in Jhota's name and compensation to each of the four people injured in the incident. The government has accepted both these demands. The government has also accepted the demand to install Jhota's statue in a park or stadium.