MANSA, OCT 21: The Central Bureau of Investigation has formally taken over the inquiry into the tragic killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Punjab’s Mansa district. A specialized team comprising senior officers alongside forensic, drug control, and GST experts arrived in the district to examine every facet of the incident. Officials stated that a formal requisition has been submitted to local law enforcement for the transfer of all case files, material records, and investigative documents.
A senior Deputy Inspector General leads the visiting central delegation, which arranged a meeting with the grieving family at the Mansa Circuit House to record statements and collect background details. The Punjab government formally referred the matter to the central agency after Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced the decision in response to appeals from the activist’s relatives. In a public message, the Chief Minister affirmed the administration’s resolve to address drug-related concerns and maintained that rigorous steps against illegal substance peddling would proceed unabated across the state.
Parvinder Singh Jhota gained prominence for campaigning against the alleged unauthorized distribution of addictive items through local pharmacies. The activist lost his life on October 13 after being fired upon inside a medical establishment located within a crowded marketplace in Mansa. Reports indicated that the confrontation unfolded while the activist was questioning the alleged supply of restricted substances to an elderly individual, with the sequence captured during a social media broadcast. The primary suspect was subsequently apprehended by authorities in Salasar, Rajasthan.
The incident sparked sustained public concern and protests, with relatives and supporters withholding consent for final funeral rites for over a week while pressing for an independent central inquiry. With the central agency now directing the proceedings, investigators are reviewing documentary evidence, forensic findings, and witness accounts as the legal process moves forward.
