States » NorthPosted at: Oct 15 2026 2:57PM


Punjab Bandh over anti-drug activist Jhota's killing disrupts highways; SHO suspended, family refuses to accept body

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 15 (UNI) A statewide shutdown called over the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota disrupted highway traffic, markets and educational institutions across Punjab on Thursday, as police suspended a station house officer, recommended departmental action against a deputy superintendent of police and detained the wife of the prime murder accused.
Jhota's family, meanwhile, refused to accept his body for cremation, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing, even as senior police officers attempted to persuade them to end their protest.
The shutdown, scheduled from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., affected several districts, including Ludhiana, Bathinda, Mansa, Jalandhar, Pathankot and Gurdaspur, where shops, commercial establishments and several private educational institutions remained closed.
Farmer organisations blocked highways in Ludhiana and Bathinda, as well as routes connecting Mohali with Chandigarh, disrupting vehicular movement. Police detained several farmer leaders in Jalandhar, Bathinda and Faridkot during the protests.
Emergency services, including ambulances, hospitals, pharmacies and fire services, were exempted from the shutdown.
In a significant development, Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary suspended Beant Kaur, the station house officer of City-2 police station, following mounting demands for action against police officials over the circumstances surrounding Jhota's murder.
The district police also recommended action against Deputy Superintendent of Police Harjinder Singh Gill, with the matter referred to the office of the Director General of Police for further examination.
Chaudhary said action against the DSP would be decided at police headquarters.
Jhota was shot dead in Mansa on October 13, allegedly by medical store owner Ashwani Kumar following a dispute linked to the activist's campaign against suspected drug trafficking.
Police have arrested the principal accused, while his wife, Neelam Rani, has also been taken into custody on allegations that she helped her husband escape after the shooting. Investigators are examining her alleged role in the case.
The killing has triggered protests across Punjab, with farmer organisations and other groups demanding an independent investigation and accountability for any lapses by police officials.
Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, has insisted that the family will not accept the body until its demands are addressed.
He has called for a CBI investigation and demanded accountability from the state government and senior police leadership.
Bathinda Range Deputy Inspector General Harjit Singh met the family in Mansa to discuss the cremation, but the talks failed to produce an agreement.
The shutdown was also marred by a fatal accident in Ludhiana, where a young man identified as Jasandeep Singh was electrocuted while putting up a protest banner near Sherpur Chowk.
His family accused the administration and state government of negligence following the incident. The circumstances surrounding the electrocution require investigation.
The protests have placed the Bhagwant Mann-led government under renewed scrutiny over its handling of the murder investigation and the police response to demonstrations.
The immediate questions confronting the administration are whether the family will agree to the cremation, whether further action will be taken against police personnel and how the government will respond to demands for a central investigation.
UNI NB RSA
Tags: #Punjab Bandh over anti-drug activist Jhota's killing disrupts highways; SHO suspended# family refuses to accept body
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