Punjab anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh Jhota was shot dead in Mansa on Tuesday morning while conducting a sting operation at a medical store, according to a report by The Times of India. The confrontation was recorded, and police said the suspected shooter has been identified and efforts are under way to arrest him.
Jhota was investigating the alleged sale of prohibited substances when he went to the medical store with a person who had reportedly purchased synthetic drugs from the shop. He questioned the store owner over the alleged sale of intoxicating pills, synthetic drugs and other prohibited substances, leading to a heated exchange, the report said.
The store owner allegedly pulled out a weapon and fired at Jhota. The activist suffered a bullet injury and attempted to flee, but collapsed a short distance away. He was taken to Mansa Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The suspected shooter has been identified as Ashwani Kumar, described in the report as the medical store owner. He fled the location after the firing. Bathinda Deputy Inspector General Harjit Singh said the police had identified the shopkeeper and were working to arrest him.
Jhota had been associated with anti-drug efforts for a long time and was an active member of an anti-drug brigade, according to the report. In recent months, he had publicly raised concerns about medical stores allegedly supplying intoxicating pills, synthetic drugs and other prohibited substances.
The incident places the focus on the risks faced by individuals who attempt to expose alleged drug distribution outside formal enforcement channels. The report indicates that Jhota had used a direct confrontation and a camera-recorded sting to document his allegations. It does not establish whether the substances allegedly being sold had been seized or whether any formal complaint had been registered before the shooting.
The case also raises immediate questions about the enforcement of controls on the sale of medicines and prohibited substances, although the available report does not provide details of the shop’s licence, the products allegedly involved or any prior police action against the store. Those facts will have to be established through the investigation.
Police action currently centres on locating and arresting Kumar, while the circumstances of the alleged drug sale and the shooting are expected to form part of the investigation. The Times of India report did not provide details of any arrest, court proceeding or further police statement at the time of publication.
