After anti-drug activist’s murder, Amit Shah says MHA will seek report from Punjab government

Two anti-drug activists killed in days, NHRC steps in and parties trade charges. Understand the Punjab situation

October 16, 2026

The NHRC has sought reports from Punjab’s Chief Secretary and DGP

The main accused in the Jhota murder was arrested in Rajasthan on October 14

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will ask the Punjab government for a report on the murder of an anti-drug activist in the state. He also pointed to the serious drug threat Punjab is facing.

The killing that set it off

Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug activist from Punjab’s Mansa district, was shot dead in broad daylight on Tuesday, October 13. He was known for confronting suspected drug peddlers and calling out the alleged illegal sale of addictive medicines through chemist shops. Police say he was killed by a medical store owner, whom he had also confronted in 2023. Personal enmity is among the motives being investigated.

The main accused was arrested in Salasar, Rajasthan, on October 14 in a joint operation by the Punjab and Rajasthan police, and the pistol allegedly used in the crime has been recovered.

Another activist killed

Days after Jhota’s murder, another anti-drug activist, 40-year-old Bikramjit Singh, was reportedly killed in Punjab. According to reports, he was attacked with sharp weapons by more than 15 people after residents protested against drug sales in their village. Two of his companions were seriously injured.

NHRC and political reaction

The National Human Rights Commission has taken cognisance of the case and sought reports from the state’s Chief Secretary and the DGP. Its chairperson, Priyank Kanoongo, called the killing a blatant example of lawlessness and said it showed how emboldened drug peddlers had become. He said state governments are responsible for the safety of anti-drug activists.

Opposition parties have attacked the AAP government over law and order and questioned its anti-drug campaign. BJP leaders including Punjab president Sunil Jakhar and national president Nitin Nabin criticised the state’s handling of the case. Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia questioned how the accused had his weapon licence renewed, alleging that it had been cancelled several times. Jhota’s father has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah to protect his grandchildren, alleging that the state government failed to protect his son.

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