Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday met families of people who died in incidents linked to Punjab's drug problem, assuring them that justice would be pursued. The day-long visit covered Gurdaspur, Sangrur and Mansa, with the drug menace emerging as a key political issue ahead of the state's Assembly elections.
In Sangrur, Shah met the family of Gulzar Singh, who allegedly died by suicide on September 7 after raising concerns about drug supplies in his locality. His family alleged that he consumed poison after facing harassment and casteist slurs for questioning Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the issue.
Gulzar's son, Shahbaz Singh, said Shah assured the family that those responsible would not be spared. The family also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death.
Earlier, in Gurdaspur district, Shah met the family of Bikramjit Singh, who was killed on October 15. Villagers alleged that he was targeted for opposing drug peddling, while police attributed the murder to a dispute between two groups over a mobile phone. The family sought justice and submitted a memorandum of demands to Shah.
Shah also met Mohanjit Singh, a resident of Sheron village in Sangrur, who alleged that Punjab Police tortured him in custody after he was detained for waving a black flag near Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's public outreach programme on September 2. Mohanjit said Shah discussed the issue of synthetic drugs, locally known as chitta, and stated that they would be eradicated.
In Mansa, Shah met the family of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was shot dead inside a medical store on October 13 after confronting its owner over the alleged sale of drugs to an elderly man. The accused, Ashwani Kumar, was arrested in Rajasthan.
Hours before Shah's visit, Mann announced that the state government had decided to transfer Jhota's murder case to the CBI.
Former Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said Shah had reiterated his commitment to eradicating the drug menace by December 2029. Jhota's family, like the families of other victims, sought a CBI investigation.
The visit has intensified the political confrontation over drugs in Punjab, where the BJP has accused the AAP government of failing to tackle the problem. Ahead of Shah's visit, AAP state unit president Aman Arora asked the Union minister to address allegations of drug smuggling from Pakistan and narcotics supplies through a Gujarat port. State Finance Minister Cheema also sought answers from the Centre on gangsterism, drug trafficking and extortion.
This visit marks Shah's second trip to poll-bound Punjab in 20 days. On September 30, he visited Jalandhar to address a rally marking the conclusion of the BJP's 'Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra'. He is also scheduled to attend the Dussehra 'Ravan Dahan' ceremony at the Daresi grounds in Ludhiana. (with inputs from PTI)