Chandigarh, Oct 19: The tragic assassination of anti-drug campaigner Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab’s Mansa district has drawn widespread condemnation from leading figures in the Punjabi entertainment industry, with actor Diljit Dosanjh publicly honoring him as a martyr. Jhota, widely recognized for his grassroots activism against the illegal distribution of addictive substances by local vendors, was fatally shot during a live-streamed confrontation at a commercial medical store.
Law enforcement officials stated that the main suspect, chemist Ashwani Kumar, opened fire during the argument and was subsequently apprehended in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, grieving relatives and local supporters have maintained a prolonged protest blockade in Mansa, declining to perform final funeral rites until formal demands for justice are comprehensively met.
The incident has triggered substantial waves of solidarity across the regional arts sector. Actress Neeru Bajwa announced the postponement of her upcoming film ‘Thaapi’ in response to public grief, while fellow artist Babbu Mann traveled to the demonstration site to console the bereaved family. Cultural commentators maintained that the unified industry response underscores deep societal frustration regarding local security and the persistent narcotics menace.
