The main accused in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota has been arrested from Rajasthan, a day after the activist was shot dead in daylight in Punjab’s Mansa district.
Medical Store Owner Who Shot Dead Punjab Anti-Drug Activist Arrested
The development came a day after police arrested an associate who allegedly helped Kumar flee after the murder, news agency PTI reported. Sources on Wednesday said accused Ashwani Kumar, a medical store owner who allegedly shot Jhota, was taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan. The arrest was made during a joint operation by the Punjab and Rajasthan Police. In the five-minute video, Jhota stood alongside an elderly man and claimed that the man had purchased drugs from the shop. A heated argument soon broke out between Jhota and the shop owner, who was seen holding a pistol in the video. Jhota had been actively raising his voice against drug abuse and the alleged illegal sale of intoxicating substances through certain medical stores for several years.
Kumar fled after the shooting, prompting police to launch a manhunt to trace him, according to sources.
The argument continued for around four minutes before the shopkeeper opened fire, killing Jhota.
He first came into the spotlight in 2023 following a controversy involving a medical store owner. On July 12 that year, a dispute reportedly broke out between Jhota and his supporters and a shopkeeper.
