Man attempts suicide over drug supply in Sangrur; oppn says AAP has failed to curb menace
A man's alleged suicide attempt over the supply of drugs in his village in Punjab's Sangrur district has triggered a political row, with opposition parties accusing the AAP government of failing to curb the menace and the ruling party questioning the man's allegations and pointing to his criminal record.
Jagga Singh of Namol village allegedly consumed a poisonous substance outside the district administration complex on Sunday, claiming in videos posted online that he was threatened after sharing footage of alleged drug supply in the area.
Singh, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Patiala, alleged that the village sarpanch threatened him and forced him to delete the video. He also claimed that cameras installed at his house were damaged and that police failed to act despite his complaint.
In another video, Singh alleged that the supply of 'chitta', a term commonly used for synthetic drugs, in Namol was "unabated".
Police, however, rejected the allegation of inaction and said a case had been registered in the matter.
Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police Ravjot Kaur Grewal said Singh was immediately taken to the Civil Hospital and later referred to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. His condition was stable and he remained under medical observation, she said.
Grewal said Singh was a "habitual offender" against whom nine criminal FIRs had been registered. He had been convicted and sentenced in four cases -- one under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and three under the Excise Act, she said.
Four other cases under the Excise Act were under trial, while Singh had also been booked in a rape case at Thuliwal police station but was acquitted, the SSP said.
Police said they had taken lawful cognisance of developments related to the matter. A complaint by the village panchayat alleging that Singh had been "politically instigated" to attempt suicide was also being investigated.
Namol panchayat members rejected Singh's allegations and accused him of making false claims and being politically instigated.
The incident came days after another man, Gulzar Singh, allegedly died by suicide in Sangrur after facing threats for questioning Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the alleged supply of drugs in his area. The latest incident has added to the political focus on the drug menace in Sangrur.
BJP MP Tarun Chugh questioned the circumstances leading to Singh's suicide attempt and alleged that he was threatened and harassed after speaking out against the drug trade.
"His only crime was that he spoke out against the drug mafia," Chugh alleged in a post on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring shared purported CCTV footage of drug peddling outside Singh's house and a video of his wife's statement claiming that the family had approached the sarpanch.
"Were the people seen in the CCTV footage identified, questioned or investigated? Was any action taken on the complaint?" Warring asked.
He said Singh's criminal record should not by itself be treated as proof that his allegations about drug sales were false and called for the substance of his complaint to be investigated independently.
Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa also questioned the state government's claim of a "drug-free Punjab", asking how many more incidents were needed for the government to take the issue seriously.
Punjab AAP president and Cabinet minister Aman Arora hit back at the opposition, accusing it of indulging in "low-level politics" over the incident.
Arora claimed that on September 7, Singh had abused Namol panchayat members and the sarpanch, following which a minor altercation took place between the two sides. Complaints were subsequently filed by both sides at Cheema police station and the matter was under investigation, he said.
Arora further claimed that Singh had threatened to commit suicide on September 12 if action was not taken against the sarpanch and panchayat members.
He questioned the political narrative being built around the incident, pointing to the nine criminal cases against Singh.
"It is extremely shameful for all these parties and all these leaders that without finding out the ground reality, they simply try to defame the Punjab government and us," Arora said.
He also said the Namol panchayat had earlier passed a resolution that drugs would not be allowed to be sold in the village.
The competing claims come amid an intensified political debate in Punjab over the state's drug problem, with opposition parties questioning the government's handling of allegations of drug supply and the AAP highlighting its anti-drug measures and action against accused persons.
