Hours before Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Punjab, the state government on Tuesday handed over the probe into the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the decision in a post on X, saying the government stood firmly with Jhota’s father and family in its fight against drugs. He said the case had been handed over to the CBI in line with the family’s demand.“The family’s demand has been accepted, and we are handing over the case to the CBI,” Mann posted in Punjabi. He added that the government’s fight against drug traffickers was uncompromising and that it would not hesitate to take any tough measures to make Punjab drug-free.Later, a state government delegation held talks with the action committee seeking justice in the murder case and visited the main protest site, where it handed over a letter issued by the state government regarding the CBI probe into the case. The delegation comprised Apneet Riyait, Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department; Kanwal Preet Brar, Faridkot Divisional Commissioner; and Harjeet Singh, DIG Bathinda Range.The CBI probe was among the key demands raised by Jhota’s family and the action committee formed to seek justice for the slain activist.Jhota was shot dead at a chemist shop in Mansa on October 13. He had allegedly confronted chemist Ashwani Kumar over the sale of drugs, and the incident was streamed live on Facebook. Four of Jhota’s associates were also injured.Jhota’s body remains at the Civil Hospital in Mansa as the family has not consented to a post-mortem examination. A parallel protest is also underway to prevent any attempt by the administration or the police to forcibly cremate the body.Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, an ex-serviceman, had been demanding a CBI probe into the murder. The family and the action committee have also sought accountability from the state government and police.The announcement came amid mounting public anger over the killing and ahead of Shah’s visit to Mansa, Sangrur and Gurdaspur on Tuesday.The murder has triggered protests across Punjab, with demonstrators demanding strict action against those involved and an end to the alleged nexus between drug traffickers, politicians and the police.The state had witnessed a bandh on October 15 in this regard.