Business · India Bureau
Punjab anti-drug activist Jhota laid to rest following broad daylight killing
The body of prominent anti-narcotics campaigner Jhota was brought to his hometown of Mansa for final rites following his fatal shooting in a public marketplace. The activist was gunned down on October 13 in an attack that has intensified concerns over violence targeting civil society figures in Punjab.
LSN India ·
Jhota, a well-known anti-drug crusader, was shot dead in broad daylight at a medical store located in a busy commercial area of Mansa town. The killing occurred in the middle of the day in a crowded marketplace, raising alarm over the brazen nature of the attack and the safety of social activists in the region.
The activist's body was subsequently transported to Mansa, where family members and community members gathered for the final rites. His death marks another incident in a troubling pattern of violence targeting individuals engaged in anti-narcotics work across Punjab.
The incident has renewed calls from civil society groups for enhanced security measures and stricter law enforcement action against criminal elements involved in the drug trade. Anti-drug activists in Punjab have increasingly become targets, with multiple incidents reported over the past several years.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing. The case underscores the risks faced by individuals working against drug trafficking networks in Punjab, where narcotic-related crimes remain a persistent challenge.