Lok Lehar holds Candle March demanding justice for Anti-Drug Activist Parvinder Singh Jhota
Ferozepur, October 17, 2026: The public organization Ferozepur Lok Lehar organized a massive candle march to demand exemplary punishment for those involved in the case of prominent anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
Added here, the broad-daylight murder of prominent anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa has sparked intense public fury, leading to a state-wide shutdown and mass protests spearheaded by farmer unions and social organizations. Jhota was fatally shot while broadcasting a Facebook Live session, during which he was confronting a local medical store owner, Ashwani Kumar, over the alleged illegal sale of addictive synthetic drugs. Following the incident, an angry mob set fire to the chemist's shop, prompting local authorities to initiate heavy security measures and demolish a portion of the suspect's properties.
The march, which saw participation from a broad spectrum of social activists, farmer unions, and community members, commenced from Delhi Gate and concluded at Shaheed Udham Singh Chowk. Participants lit candles and carried banners to pay tribute to Jhota’s relentless struggle against narcotics, while raising their voices for immediate legal accountability.
Addressing the gathering, Ferozepur Lok Lehar convener Gama Sidhu and Advocate Rohit Arora emphasized the critical need to carry forward the anti-drug movement initiated by Jhota. "A meaningful tribute to Jhota would be to make collective efforts to protect our youth and strengthen public resistance against substance abuse," they stated.
The organizers called for united action between public bodies and state administrations to tackle the growing challenge of drug addiction, while demanding immediate accountability and justice from authorities. Representatives from the BKU, including leader Avtar Mahima, along with various auto unions and local residents, joined the march to express deep solidarity with the grieving family.
In rapid legal developments, the Punjab Police launched a multi-state manhunt and apprehended the primary accused, Ashwani Kumar, alongside his accomplice from Rajasthan. A Mansa court subsequently remanded both individuals to police custody, while a separate criminal case was registered against the chemist's wife. Amid mounting public pressure over alleged police negligence, the district administration suspended Mansa City-2 Station House Officer (SHO) Beant Kaur. Recognizing Jhota's ultimate sacrifice against narcotics, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) announced a financial aid package for the injured and declared that his portrait will be permanently enshrined in the Central Sikh Museum in Amritsar.