Shah demands CBI probe into Punjab anti-drug activists' deaths

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has escalated pressure on the Punjab government by demanding a CBI investigation into the deaths of anti-drug activists in the state. During a visit to Punjab, Shah met with bereaved family members of individuals who had died in circumstances related to their anti-narcotics work in their communities.

The Home Minister's intervention marks a significant political move, with the demand for federal agency involvement signalling dissatisfaction with the current state administration's handling of cases connected to drug-related activism. Shah's visit underscored the Centre's focus on the issue of drug trafficking in Punjab, a state that has long grappled with substance abuse problems affecting multiple socioeconomic sections.

The move reflects broader tensions between the ruling dispensation at the Centre and the state government over governance and law enforcement priorities. Shah's meeting with families of deceased activists was framed as a demonstration of solidarity with those who have lost loved ones while working against drug proliferation in their neighbourhoods.

The demand for CBI involvement suggests the Home Minister views the cases as matters of national concern that warrant investigation by central authorities rather than remaining solely within state police jurisdiction. This development is likely to intensify political discourse around drug enforcement and state government accountability in Punjab.