The house of Ashwani Kumar, a medical store owner arrested for shooting dead anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab's Mansa, has been demolished following the fatal incident. Kumar had been apprehended by police from Salasar in Rajasthan after being accused of gunning down Jhota during a confrontation concerning the alleged illegal sale of addictive medications at his Mansa establishment.
Jhota, known for actively campaigning against drug abuse and the illicit distribution of pharmaceutical substances at local chemist shops, had confronted Kumar alongside supporters after questioning the sale of specific drugs to an individual. The confrontation was documented on video, with a widely circulated clip capturing Jhota stating that the store owner had drawn a pistol and challenging him before shots were fired. Another video showed Kumar exiting the shop with a weapon and pursuing Jhota, who sought cover. Jhota was subsequently discovered bleeding in a nearby shop and pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
The homicide provoked widespread public anger and intense criticism directed at the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government regarding public safety and its anti-drug initiative, known as 'Yudh Nashian Virudh'. Opposition figures quickly condemned the administration over the security breakdown. Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring stated that the murder demonstrated the government's failure to maintain order or effectively support grassroots anti-drug efforts, noting that Jhota had received no official protection while fighting the state's narcotics crisis.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed deep concern over the deterioration of law and order, dismissing the administration's anti-drug campaign as a political gimmick. Fellow Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia questioned why citizens speaking out against narcotics were left unprotected by the state. Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon similarly criticized the administration, characterizing the environment in the state as a breakdown of governance.
In response to the incident, AAP leader Baltej Pannu condemned the killing and promised rigorous legal action against the perpetrators, emphasizing that unauthorized vigilantism would not be tolerated. The tragedy has further fueled intense political debate surrounding the ongoing drug crisis and security conditions across the region.