Punjab anti-drug activist murder: Main accused nabbed from Rajasthan, sources say

A poster of anti-narcotics activist Parvinder Singh Jhota displayed by political farmers, workers and social organizations during a protest against arrest by Punjab Police outside Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mansa district, Punjab. 21 Aug 2023. File | Photo credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

A medical shop owner who allegedly shot dead an anti-drug activist in Punjab’s Mansa district has been nabbed from Rajasthan, sources said on Wednesday (Oct 14, 2026).

The accused Ashwani Kumar has been taken into custody from Salasar, they further said.

Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was murdered in broad daylight on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) after he confronted the accused, who ran a medical supplies business, for allegedly selling drugs to an elderly man.

The incident was caught on camera during a live Facebook session hosted by Jhota.

After Jhota’s murder, Kumar fled and the police launched a manhunt to nab him.

Jhota is known for raising his voice against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances in pharmacies.

The shooting left the town of Mansa seething with tension as the activist’s supporters vandalized a medical shop and Jhot’s family refused to cremate his body in protest.

On Tuesday (October 13, 2026), police arrested a co-worker who helped the store owner escape.

The killing drew widespread condemnation from political leaders who criticized the ruling AAP government and alleged a breakdown in law and order.

Opposition parties attacked Bhagwant Mann’s government over the murder of an anti-drug activist, claiming it was a “jungle paradise”.

They also claimed that Jhota’s killing raised serious questions about the safety of those raising their voice against the drug menace.

Published – 14 Oct 2026 08:49 IST