Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Punjab to meet the families of anti-drug activists who lost their lives after raising their voices against the narcotics trade. Shah traveled to Sangrur to meet the relatives of Gulzar Singh, who died by suicide after reporting intense pressure and harassment for confronting local authorities regarding drug sales.
During his trip, the Home Minister also met the kin of Bikramjit Singh in Gurdaspur and the family of anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. Jhota was shot dead inside a chemist store while broadcasting live on Facebook.
Prior to Shah's visit, the Punjab government announced it would hand over the investigation into Jhota's murder to the Central Bureau of Investigation following sustained protests from the victim's supporters and family members.
These tragic deaths have intensified a political conflict between the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Congress ahead of the assembly elections. Opposition factions have heavily criticized the state administration over a worsening law and order situation and the ongoing influx of drugs across the border.