Anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight by a chemist shop owner in Punjab’s Mansa district on Tuesday.
The incident occurred while Jhota was questioning the shop owner regarding the alleged illegal sale of addictive pharmaceutical drugs and capturing the confrontation on his mobile phone.
In a clip from the incident, Jhota noted that the store owner had drawn a firearm before shots were fired. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The killing has sparked a major political storm against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s AAP government. Opposition leaders, including Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu, condemned the murder, citing a total collapse of law and order.
Meanwhile, Jhota’s father appealed for security for his family and pledged to continue the fight against drugs. Responding to the backlash, AAP spokesperson Baltej Pannu condemned the crime and promised strict legal action against the perpetrator.
