Parvinder Singh Jhota, fondly known as ‘Baba Boxer’ during his days at Lyallpur Khalsa College in Jalandhar, was remembered by his father Bhim as a gifted boxer. His journey, however, took several turns, from the boxing ring to a troubled phase in life and eventually a campaign against the drug menace.Recalling his son’s early years, Bhim today said Jhota was initially pursuing studies in non-medical stream and had secured admission in a college in Bathinda. “However, after a year, he realised that his interests lay elsewhere. He told me that he was interested in sports, so I sent him to Jalandhar. He got admission to a BSc course there,” Bhim recalled.Latest: Mansa on edge: Angry mob vandalises Jhota murder accused’s shop, sets its ablazeAt Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jhota earned a reputation as a talented boxer and was known among his friends as ‘Baba Boxer’. He went on to compete at the national level. But, things did not work out as he wished. Bhim said Jhota could not travel abroad to participate in an international sporting event for certain reasons. “Instead, a junior boxer was sent to represent the country and went on to win a gold medal. That player later became a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Haryana. I used to tell Parvinder to at least become a constable,” said Bhim, adding that he generally avoided speaking much to him about such matters.Meanwhile, Jhota’s friends recalled that he was a good cricketer too.However, his life took a difficult turn when he began consuming drugs. According to his friends, Jhota eventually overcame that phase and channelled his experiences into a campaign against drug abuse.The man who had once struggled with addiction subsequently took up the cause of fighting the very menace that had affected his own life. He was shot dead on Tuesday following a confrontation with a chemist over drugs at the latter’s shop in Mansa. The incident was streamed live on Jhota’s Facebook page, triggering widespread outrage.