MHA to seek answers from Punjab Govt. on recent narcotics-related deaths

Union Home Minister Amit Shah. File | Photo credit: ANI

The Home Ministry will demand answers from the Punjab government on the recent narcotics-related deaths in Punjab, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a statement on Friday (Oct 16, 2026).

In a recent incident in Punjab’s Mansa district, anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead at a local pharmacy on Tuesday (Oct 13, 2026), sparking immediate outrage in the state, which has struggled with drug abuse for decades.

Singh, a former boxer, has been campaigning against drug abuse in Mansa and neighboring areas for the last few years through the ‘Nasha Roko, Rozgaar Do’ campaign. Following the incident, scores of people staged a protest outside the Mansa Civil Hospital as shops were also closed in the city.

In another tragic incident in September, 47-year-old Gulzar Singh of Toor Banjara village in Sangrur district of Punjab took his own life. He reportedly took the extreme step after local Aam Aadmi Party supporters pressured him to apologize for questioning Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the drug menace in his village during an event in Dirba on September 6.

In a post on social media, Mr Shah said: “Drug trade is growing day by day in Punjab, the menace of organized crime is increasing and questions are being raised about the protection of those who stand up against drugs.”

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Today, Punjab is facing the growing menace of drugs, gangsterism and organized crime. The biggest question before the Bhagwant Maan government is who will take responsibility for the security of the people of Punjab? The poisoning of a father under duress in Dirba and the broad daylight killing of Parvinder Singh Jhota, who raised the voice against drugs in Mansa, have raised serious questions about law and order in Punjab. Parvinder’s father made serious allegations against the AAP government and its MLAs. The Home Ministry will also seek the Punjab government’s response to the two incidents. The drug trade in Punjab is increasing day by day, the threat of organized crime is increasing and there are questions about the safety of those who raise their voice against drugs. Bhagwant Maan ji, the people of Punjab want no propaganda, no answers, no announcements, results, a decisive crackdown on drug networks and an impartial investigation into any political support given to criminals. Today I reiterate my resolve to the people of Punjab that when our government is formed in Punjab, we will work with full force to create a safe, drug-free, gangster-free Punjab. Our goal is clear – to crack down on the drug trade, protect the future of youth, crack down on criminals and establish a rule of law where no citizen is forced to live in fear.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 16, 2026

Published – October 16, 2026 12:07 PM IST