Home Minister Amit Shah meets families of anti-drug activists, blames Punjab government
Home Minister Amit Shah visited the relatives of three anti-drug campaigners in Punjab, linking their deaths and a suicide to the state’s drug problem and criticizing the AAP government.
During a tour of Punjab, Home Minister Amit Shah met the relatives of three men who died while confronting the drug trade: Bikramjit Singh in Gurdaspur, Gulzar Singh in Sangrur and activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. Shah offered condolences and accused the Bhagwant Mann government of allowing drug traffickers to operate unchecked, saying the youth are being victimised while whistle-blowers are unsafe. He reiterated the central government’s commitment to a drug-free India.
The state announced that Jhota’s murder, which occurred inside a medical store, will be investigated by the CBI. Gulzar Singh’s family said he had committed suicide after alleged intimidation for publicly questioning a minister about the open sale of synthetic drugs. The visits highlight the political tension ahead of Punjab’s upcoming assembly elections.
Why it matters
The minister’s outreach underscores rising political pressure over Punjab’s drug crisis ahead of elections.
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