Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday pressed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to hand over two more investigations into deaths linked to anti-drug activism to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), declaring that the State Government “will not be able to handle it.” The appeal came hours after Mann’s Government transferred the murder probe of anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota to the CBI, following sustained family demands and protests.
Shah made the remarks at a press conference in Ludhiana after a day-long tour during which he met the families of three men whose deaths have been tied by relatives and locals to opposition against the drug trade. He visited the family of Bikramjit Singh in Marhi Pannwan village near Sri Hargobindpur in Gurdaspur’s Batala area, the family of Gulzar Singh in Sangrur, and Jhota’s family in Mansa. He described the accounts shared by the families as revealing a ground reality far more severe than official reports suggested, and he reiterated that the Centre’s fight against drug peddlers would remain decisive.
Bikramjit Singh, about 40 years old, was killed with sharp weapons on October 15. Two others, Nishan Singh and Gurmukh Singh, were badly injured. According to family and villagers, the group was attacked after they confronted local drug peddlers. Police, however, say the violence was due to a disagreement over a mobile phone.
In Sangrur, Gulzar Singh died by suicide in early September after speaking out about open drug sales and his son’s addiction to “chitta” at a public event attended by Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. His family says they faced harassment and pressure afterwards.
Parvinder Jhota, a well-known anti-drug activist who often livestreamed confrontations about drug sales at chemist shops, was shot and killed on October 13 inside a medical store in Mansa while broadcasting on Facebook Live. He had asked the shop owner about a suspected sale to an older man. Police later arrested the suspect.
Shah recounted meeting the grieving families and assured that the CBI would pursue those responsible for Jhota’s killing without regard to their influence. Taking a pointed swipe at Mann, he said: “This morning, upon returning after celebrating his birthday, Bhagwant Mann Ji did one good thing; he handed over one inquiry to the CBI. I want to give my word to the people of Punjab: in the case handed over to us, whoever is found guilty, no matter how powerful or big they are, we will track them down even from the depths of the earth and hand them over to the law. We will bring them before the court.”
He then directly appealed to the Chief Minister: “You will not be able to handle it. Hand over the remaining two cases to the CBI as well. That is also the demand of their family members.” Shah also pushed back against suggestions that narcotics primarily enter through western ports, asking how drugs reach Punjab’s neighbourhoods without systemic support and calling for an end to the trade.
Mann had earlier announced the transfer of Jhota’s case to the CBI in response to the family’s demand, stating that the Government stood with the family and would take whatever steps were needed against drug peddlers. Shah’s visit and remarks intensify scrutiny of the Aam Aadmi Party Government’s handling of drug-related violence and law and order ahead of heightened political focus on the issue in the state.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had already sought detailed reports from Punjab on the three incidents, citing their potential implications.