Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Punjab and meets families of people who died in incidents linked to opposition to the drug menace, according to multiple reports. Outlets say Shah’s engagements include meeting relatives of victims in Gurdaspur and planned meetings in other districts. Police and reporting also reference the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota as a key trigger for heightened attention.
The trip places Punjab’s drug crisis at the centre of a political dispute between BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Times of India reports Shah criticises the AAP government for failing to tackle drugs effectively. BJP leaders, including the party’s Punjab vice-president cited by NDTV, frame the visit as reflecting a commitment to eradicate drugs. Meanwhile, The Hindu reports Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann orders that the probe into Jhota’s murder be handed over to the CBI.
Several accounts describe tight security arrangements ahead of Shah’s visit and include differing details on the circumstances of alleged drug-linked incidents, including where authorities dispute claims that a death was directly tied to drug opposition.
