Punjab shuts markets and blocks highways for Jhota as Mansa SHO is suspended

Much of Punjab stayed shut on Thursday as a bandh called by the family of the murdered anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota closed markets, kept private schools and colleges shut and saw farm unions block highways in several districts. In Mansa, where Jhota was shot dead on Tuesday, his father said the family would not cremate him until the Chief Minister steps down.

“Even if it takes a month or two, I will not allow the cremation until the government falls or those responsible resign,” said Bhim Singh, an ex-serviceman. “If they go ahead with the cremation, no one will be able to stop Punjab’s youth from reacting.”

The shutdown, which began at 6 am and is due to end at 5 pm, was called by the Insaaf Morcha, the action committee formed after the killing. Ambulances, hospitals, pharmacies and fire services were exempt, and protesters let emergency vehicles through.

Markets shut, roads blocked

The response was strongest in Amritsar, where commercial establishments across the district closed. Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee went round the wholesale textile, grain and spice markets asking traders to down shutters, and malls and the Focal Point industrial area on GT Road stayed shut. At 7 am, in heavy rain, protesters gathered at the Golden Gate and burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing his government of failing to stop the open sale of drugs.

Shops were also closed in Mansa, Barnala, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Pathankot and Gurdaspur. Farm unions blocked highways in Ludhiana and Bathinda, including the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway, and routes linking Mohali with Chandigarh. Private buses kept off the roads and only a few Punjab Roadways buses ran. Several farmer leaders were detained in Jalandhar, Bathinda and Faridkot.

The bandh had little effect early in the day in parts of the Malwa region, and by lunchtime the response was mixed in places. No major violence was reported. In Ludhiana, a man named Jasandeep Singh was reported to have been electrocuted while putting up a protest banner near Sherpur Chowk; his family blamed the administration. In Chandigarh, the district bar association observed a no-work day.

“We believe the entire incident needs to be investigated, including who called him and who was behind that call,” said farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, referring to the phone call the accused chemist was on during the shooting.

First action against police

Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary suspended Inspector Beant Kaur, the station house officer of City-2 police station. Deputy Superintendent of Police Harjinder Singh Gill has been recommended for departmental action, and Chaudhary said a decision on him would be taken at police headquarters.

Ashwani Kumar, the chemist accused of shooting Jhota during a livestreamed argument at his medical store, was arrested in Rajasthan late on Tuesday. His wife, Neelam Rani, has been taken into custody on the charge of helping him escape. Bathinda Range DIG Harjeet Singh said both would be produced in court soon. “We are ensuring that emergency services are not affected,” he said.

Standoff over the body

Jhota’s body is still at the Civil Hospital in Mansa. The family has not allowed a post-mortem and wants one done by a panel of doctors from PGIMER, Chandigarh. The DIG met the family in Mansa to discuss the cremation, but the talks ended without agreement. The action committee refused to meet the deputy commissioner, SSP and other officers at the protest site, insisting its demands be met first.

Those demands include the resignation of the Chief Minister and the Director General of Police, a CBI investigation, the dismissal of the district drug inspector, SSP, DSP and SHO, and FIRs against any official found responsible. Bhim Singh said that if the government went ahead without the family, it could take the matter to the High Court, the Supreme Court or Parliament.