The death by suicide of a 50-year-old man in Punjab over the government allegedly not doing enough to stop the drug menace has become a huge controversy, with Opposition party leaders demanding an investigation into the matter and accountability.
“Cheema is also responsible for my death,” he said, referring to Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, whom he had questioned over the border state’s drugs problem during the minister’s visit to a village.
Thereafter, Gulzar Singh alleged, the police took him aside and put a lot of pressure on him to apologise after he questioned the leader of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. “The sarpanch is also responsible for my death. I had questioned Cheema about drugs. My son takes drugs. My house was sold. I don’t have anything and finally now I have consumed poison. The incident comes just days after a man was allegedly subjected to custodial torture by the police for raising the issue of drug abuse by carrying a black flag at an event that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had attended. “Gulzar Singh questioned Cheema about the drug menace in an effort to save his son. He was allegedly driven to suicide and, before his death, held the minister responsible. Under the Bhagwant Mann government, the situation in Punjab has deteriorated to such an extent that ordinary citizens demanding answers and their rights are allegedly being pushed to the brink of losing their lives.
The problem of drugs has not been solved anywhere in Punjab,” the man said before he died. Singh’s son said the sarpanch became angry after his father alleged drugs were sold openly in their village. “The sarpanch got furious and scolded my father,” the son said. Cheema must be immediately removed from the Council of Ministers and a case should be filed against him,” Bittu said.
