Punjab Bandh Called Over Activist Jhota's Murder as Protests Spread
· India · Hindustan Times, Zee News, Outlook India
A statewide shutdown was called across Punjab following the fatal shooting of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, issued the bandh call, which gained support from major political parties including the Congress, Akali Dal, and BJP, as well as farmer unions and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The victim's family has refused to cremate his body while protests and vandalism target the accused. Police arrested the accused pharmacy owner, Ashwani Kumar, in Rajasthan after an angry mob torched his shop and authorities razed part of his house. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann vowed the strictest punishment for those involved as security forces deployed heavily across affected towns.
Why it matters
The high-profile murder and subsequent statewide shutdown have paralyzed parts of Punjab, triggering intense political fallout and widespread public outrage over activist safety.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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