States » NorthPosted at: Oct 22 2026 1:58PM


Two Punjab officials suspended in Jhota murder case; widow alleges destruction of evidence

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 22 (UNI) The Punjab government has suspended a Deputy Superintendent of Police and a drug inspector following the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, while his widow has alleged that the demolition of the chemist's shop where he was shot dead may have resulted in the destruction of crucial evidence.
Mansa DSP Harjinder Singh Gill and Drug Inspector Naresh Kumar were suspended on Wednesday following demands from Jhota's family and a protest committee seeking accountability over alleged official inaction against the illegal sale of pharmaceutical drugs.
The action follows the earlier suspension of Mansa City-2 police station SHO Beant Kaur on October 15. The precise grounds for the latest suspensions and any findings against the officials have not been publicly established.
Jhota's widow, Manpreet Kaur, questioned the demolition of the accused chemist's shop, saying it could have compromised important evidence in the murder investigation.
"We are also pained that the medical store was demolished. It is like destroying crucial evidence in the case," she said.
"We never demanded that the shop and the home of the accused be razed," she added.
The developments came as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) began examining evidence in the October 13 killing, which triggered widespread protests across Punjab.
The agency has re-registered the murder case at its Chandigarh unit, naming chemist Ashwani Kumar and other unidentified persons as accused.
A CBI team led by a senior officer visited Mansa City-2 police station, collected case records and met Jhota's family. Investigators also inspected the crime scene, while forensic specialists collected samples from the site of the demolished medical store.
A digital video recorder was reportedly seized, and investigators questioned local shopkeepers as part of efforts to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Meanwhile, uncertainty continued over the post-mortem examination of Jhota's body, which remains at Mansa Civil Hospital.
Although arrangements have been proposed for an examination by specialists from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, the family has not consented to the procedure.
Rejecting reports suggesting otherwise, Manpreet Kaur said, "We only met a team from the CBI, but not signed any document and not given any consent for post mortem."
She said any decision would require consultations with the protest committee and those participating in the agitation.
The suspensions followed a second round of negotiations on Wednesday between the protest committee and a government-appointed panel comprising senior administrative and police officers.
The committee has submitted 14 demands, including action against officials accused of failing to respond to complaints about illegal drug sales, an independent investigation and compensation for those injured in the shooting.
According to reports, the government panel agreed to consider 12 of the 14 demands, although a final settlement was not reached. Further discussions were scheduled for Thursday.
Jhota was allegedly shot dead by chemist Ashwani Kumar during a confrontation over the suspected illegal sale of drugs at a medical store in Mansa on October 13. Four other people were injured.
Police have arrested Ashwani Kumar, his wife Neelam Rani, his cousin Parveen Garg and an employee identified as Laddi. The weapon allegedly used in the shooting has also been recovered.
The CBI investigation follows the Punjab government's decision to transfer the case to the federal agency after demands from Jhota's family.
The case has brought renewed attention to the enforcement of drug-control laws and the handling of complaints concerning suspected illegal pharmaceutical sales in Punjab.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing, examine whether officials failed to act on earlier complaints and address concerns over the preservation of evidence.
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