States » NorthPosted at: Oct 30 2026 3:08PM


Shah's security move for Punjab families puts Mann government under fresh scrutiny

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 30 (UNI) union Home Minister Amit Shah has stepped into an increasingly contentious dispute over drug-related deaths and alleged police excesses in Punjab, with his ministry reportedly approving security for two bereaved families, a move that could intensify his political confrontation with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ahead of state elections next year.
The reported decision to grant X-category protection to the families of Gulzar Singh and slain anti-drug campaigner Parvinder Singh Jhota comes 10 days after Shah visited them to offer condolences, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government faces mounting criticism over its handling of protests by families demanding justice.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has yet to publicly confirm the security arrangements, including whether personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will be deployed.
The intervention puts the BJP-led union government at the centre of a politically sensitive controversy in a state where policing is the responsibility of the elected administration and drug trafficking remains a major electoral issue in the state.
It also gives Shah a more visible role in a dispute that has drawn attention to allegations of heavy-handed policing, although there is no official indication that the security decision was prompted by those allegations.
The political stakes rose further this week after police in Mansa forcibly took possession of the body of Daljit Singh, a resident of Bhamme Kalan village, on October 27.
His relatives, who alleged he had died of a drug overdose, were attempting to take the body to a protest seeking justice for Jhota when police intervened.
Videos of the confrontation, showing officers removing the body amid scuffles with protesters, prompted criticism of the Mann administration.
Police disputed the family's account of the death, saying they were investigating a suspected murder.
Defending the intervention, Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary said, "We made mild use of force to maintain law and order. If anyone tries to disturb law and order, action will be taken."
The incident followed weeks of tension over the killing of Jhota on October 13, which triggered demonstrations demanding an independent investigation and action against those responsible.
His family and supporters have questioned the police response, turning the case into a wider debate over the safety of people campaigning against drug trafficking.
Gulzar Singh's death in Sangrur district has also been politically contentious. His family alleged he had faced harassment after publicly questioning the availability of drugs in his village, allegations disputed by the authorities.
Shah met the families during his October 20 visit to Punjab, bringing the cases into the national political spotlight.
His ministry also sought reports from the Punjab government on the deaths of Jhota, Gulzar Singh and Bikramjit Singh, another case that had raised concerns about drug-related violence.
The reported security approval represents a further step in the central government's involvement, though the ministry has not disclosed the threat assessment or the reasons for granting protection.
For the BJP, the development offers an opportunity to challenge Mann's record on law and order and his government's response to families seeking justice.
For the AAP, it comes as the party seeks to defend its anti-drug campaign while accusing the Centre of failing to curb narcotics smuggling across the international border.
Punjab is due to hold assembly elections in 2027, adding political weight to a dispute that has already drawn competing claims from the state's ruling party and the BJP.
The security decision does not, by itself, establish wrongdoing by Punjab Police or a failure by the state government to protect the families.
But it places Shah's ministry in a more prominent position in a controversy that has become a test of the Mann administration's handling of drug-related deaths, public protests, and allegations of police misconduct.
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Neeraj Bali
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