Bathinda Range DIG Harjeet Singh has apologised to the action committee seeking justice for slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota after its members objected to his remarks linking the murder to an old personal rivalry.
A high-level team comprising the DIG, Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary, Deputy Commissioner Navjot Kaur and ADC Poonam Singh met committee members to seek their cooperation on Thursday night.
During the meeting, committee members Lakhvir Singh Lakha Sidhana and Gulabh Singh Mahal questioned the DIG over his earlier statement that Jhota’s killing was linked to an old personal enmity with chemist Ashwani Kumar, who is accused of shooting him dead. The committee members also questioned the DIG over the failure to act against the chemist for his alleged drug activities despite repeated complaints.
“I apologise if my statement has hurt anyone. I had no intention to hurt you. We have come to seek your support. We are with you,” said DIG Harjeet Singh publicly.
The committee members claimed that the old incident was related to alleged sale of drugs, and nothing personal between Jhota and Ashwani.
July 2023 incident
Notably, in July 2023, Jhota and his supporters had allegedly paraded Ashwani through a Mansa market with a garland of shoes around his neck over allegations of selling banned capsules. The police had registered cases against both of them and a few others following the incident.
Jhota was allegedly shot dead on Tuesday at Ashwani’s medical store. His supporters subsequently staged protests, while his father refused to cremate the body until justice was delivered.
The police have arrested two persons, including the main accused, Ashwani, in connection with the murder.