The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the Punjab Government to submit detailed reports on a series of fatal attacks, alleged harassment and a suicide involving people who had spoken out against drugs, officials said. The move signals growing central concern over law and order in the state and possible links between the incidents and the narcotics trade.
The cases flagged by the Centre include the attack on Bikramjit Singh, Nishan Singh and Gurmukh Singh in Mari Panwan village of Gurdaspur district on Thursday night, which police have described as allegedly drug-related; the killing of Parwinder Singh Jhota in Mansa; and the alleged suicide of Gulzar Singh in Sangrur. Gulzar Singh was the father of a young man who had fallen into substance abuse. Before his death, he had publicly questioned the easy availability of drugs in his locality and levelled allegations against a Punjab minister.
The ministry noted that “it has further been alleged that Gulzar Singh was subjected to systematic harassment and pressure by the local village panchayat, which purportedly drove him to take his own life.”
The MHA has asked the state to furnish reports citing possible law-and-order ramifications. It has also sought a detailed action-taken report on the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029) that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier shared with chief ministers. The document outlines a multi-year strategy to dismantle drug networks, seize illicit finances and protect young people.
The developments coincide with pointed criticism from the BJP’s senior leadership. In a post on X, Amit Shah wrote that Punjab is “grappling today with the rising threats of drugs, gangsterism, and organised crime.” He asked: “The biggest question before the Bhagwant Mann government is: ultimately, who will bear the responsibility for the safety of Punjab’s people?”
Shah specifically referred to the Dirba case in which a father allegedly consumed poison under pressure and the broad-daylight murder in Mansa of Parvinder Singh Jhota, who had raised his voice against drugs. “Parvinder’s father has levelled grave allegations against the ‘AAP’ Government and their MLA.
The MHA will also seek responses from the Punjab government on both these incidents,” he stated. He added that the drug trade continues to grow, organised crime is becoming more menacing, and those who speak out against narcotics face increasing risk.
Addressing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directly, Shah said the people of Punjab “do not want promises, they want answers; not announcements, but results; decisive strikes against drug networks; and an impartial investigation into any political patronage received by criminals.”
He reiterated that a BJP Government in the state would work with full force to create a “drug-free, gangster-free, and secure Punjab,” promising strikes on the drug trade, protection of youth, strict action against criminals and a rule of law free from fear.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin reinforced the charge in his own post on X. He described Punjab’s drug crisis as having reached “an alarming level” and pointed to the killing of 40-year-old Bikramjit Singh in Gurdaspur only two days after the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. “What has Punjab come to when leading voices in society fighting against drugs must fear for their lives?” Nabin wrote. He called for “decisive action against the drug mafia and safety for its citizens,” adding that the people of Punjab “deserve accountability and a Government that can keep them safe.”
The twin interventions from the Union Home Minister and the BJP president have sharpened the political contest over Punjab’s long-running battle with heroin and other narcotics. The Aam Aadmi Party Government came to power promising a drug-free State.
In a Punjabi post on X, CM Mann told Shah to consult his advisors before commenting on him. Mann noted that the BSF, under the Union Home Ministry, has a 50-kilometre jurisdiction along the border. He also mentioned that 3,000 kilograms of “chitta” were seized at Kandla port in Gujarat. “Before blaming Bhagwant Mann, take responsibility for your own duties,” Mann wrote.