Punjab Anti Drug Activist Shot Dead Inside Mansa Chemist Shop

An anti-drug activist was shot dead during a livestream in Punjab, sparking protests and calls for a statewide shutdown.

On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, an anti-drug activist was shot dead at a chemist shop in a busy market in Mansa, Punjab. Parvinder Singh, popularly known as Jhota, was running a livestream on social media when the attack happened. He was questioning the shop owner, Ashwani Kumar, over the alleged sale of addictive medicines to an elderly man. In the nearly six-minute video, Jhota said the chemist had pulled out a pistol, just before gunfire began. Jhota was hit by three bullets and died from his injuries. Four of his companions were also struck and wounded in the shooting. Dr Gurmail Singh, the senior medical officer at Mansa Civil Hospital, said two bullets hit Jhota in the abdomen and one in the thigh. A bullet that pierced his liver caused his death, while the other four men suffered minor injuries. Police said they received an alert around 10.30 am. Bathinda Range Deputy Inspector General Harjeet Singh stated that a licensed gun appears to have been used in the murder.

Why it matters

This killing brings renewed attention to Punjab's long battle against illegal narcotics and the state's law and order. Parvinder Singh Jhota was a former sportsperson who had earlier fought his own addiction. Over time, he became a well-known local activist. He gained a wide public following by filming direct confrontations with chemists and suspected drug peddlers. Police officials noted that this fatal confrontation came from a personal feud starting in 2023. In July 2023, Jhota and his supporters reportedly made Ashwani Kumar walk through a market wearing a garland of shoes. Following that incident, police registered a case against Kumar based on Jhota's complaint. However, the police also booked Jhota for taking the law into his own hands. The tragic shooting shows the deep public frustration over substance abuse in local communities. When citizens feel authorities are not acting fast enough against illegal drug sales, they often step in themselves. This tension has now led to renewed scrutiny of the AAP government and its campaign against the drug trade.

Key facts of the case

• The shopkeeper, Ashwani Kumar, fled the scene after the shooting and is currently on the run from the police.

• Police have detained members of Kumar's family and arrested one man accused of helping the chemist escape.

• Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary promised that officers would arrest the main suspect within 24 hours.

• Following the fatal attack, angry crowds vandalised Kumar's shop and damaged a fire engine in the market.

• A joint action committee called a Punjab bandh for Thursday 15 October to protest against the killing.

What's next

Tensions remain high across Mansa as Jhota's grieving family has refused to cremate his body until their demands are met. The joint action committee wants the immediate arrest of Kumar, the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and the removal of the state police chief. They have also asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe and a post-mortem examination by a medical panel from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research. The administration now faces hard questions. People want to know how a licensed weapon was used so openly in a busy market. The coming days will test how the government restores public trust and handles local anger.