Punjab’s statewide bandh over the killing of anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh disrupted markets, educational institutions, highways and public transport on Thursday, as police arrested Neelam Rani, the wife of the murder case’s main accused, for allegedly helping him flee.
Mansa SSP Vaibhav Vhaudhary confirmed that Rani had been arrested and said her role in the crime was being investigated. Rani, who worked as a pharmacist at the medical store owned by her husband Ashwani Kumar, had earlier been named in the case on charges of helping him escape after the killing on October 13.
Police are questioning Rani as part of the investigation. Kumar, identified as the main accused in the killing, was produced before a court late Thursday along with another accused, Vipin. The court remanded both men to seven days in police custody.
The arrest came as the bandh generated widespread disruption across Punjab. Markets and educational institutions remained shut in Mansa, Bathinda, Sangrur, Barnala, Moga, Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur and other towns, according to the report.
Highways were blocked in several places and public transport services were affected. Many private schools declared holidays, while toll plazas in parts of Ludhiana and Patiala suspended collections in support of the bandh. The disruption extended beyond commercial areas, affecting movement between towns and the functioning of local institutions.
Emergency services remained operational during the bandh. Police intervened at several locations to prevent forced closures and clear traffic, indicating that the administration was attempting to balance the shutdown call with the need to keep essential movement and services running.
The bandh received support from the Congress, BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, Akali Dal Punar Surjit and SAD (Amritsar), along with farmer and youth associations. The participation of political parties and civic groups broadened the shutdown beyond a local protest over the murder.
For cities and towns across Punjab, the immediate impact was visible in the closure of retail areas, interruptions to school operations and restrictions on road movement. The use of highways and public transport as sites of disruption also affected residents and businesses that were not directly involved in the protest.
The police investigation is continuing, with Rani’s alleged role under examination and Kumar and Vipin in seven-day police custody. Authorities have not announced any further investigation milestones in the supplied report.
