THE Union Home Ministry has sought detailed reports from the Punjab Government on cases of fatal attacks, harassment and suicide of anti-drug activists, officials said. Attacks in Mari Panwan village in Gurdaspur district and Mansa and a suicide case in Sangrur were flagged by the Centre. The MHA has said that the attack on Bikramjit Singh, Nishan Singh Gurmukh Singh in Mari Panwan village in Gurdaspur on Thursday night was allegedly linked to the drugs. It has also taken note of Parwinder Singh Jhota’s killing in Mansa and the alleged suicide of Gulzar Singh, the father of a substance abuse victim. The Central Government has asked the State to furnish reports citing possible law and order ramifications. The Centre has also asked the State Government to furnish a detailed action taken report on the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029) shared by Union Home Minister Amit Shah with the Chief Ministers. Seeking reports from the State Government, MHA has also cited the case of the suicide of Gulzar Singh, Prior to taking extreme steps, Singh had questioned the availability of drugs in his area and raised allegations against a Punjab Minister. “It has further been alleged that Gulzar Singh was subjected to systematic harassment and pressure by the local village panchayat, which purportedly drove him to take his own life,” the Ministry has said.

 

In a post on microblogging site X, Shah said Punjab is today grappling with a rising threat of drugs, gangsterism and organised crime. He asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann who will ultimately bear the responsibility for the safety of Punjab’s people. “In Dirba, a father succumbing to pressure and consuming poison, and in Mansa, the broaddaylight murder of Parvinder Singh Jhota -- who had raised his voice against drugs -- have raised serious questions about the law and order situation in Punjab,” Shah’s post read. Political parties, including the BJP, have been increasingly highlighting the drug issue in pollbound Punjab, where assembly elections are due early next year. In his X post, Shah said, “In Punjab, the drug trade is flourishing, the threat of organised crime is growing, and questions are being raised about the safety of those who speak out against drugs.”Addressing Chief Minister Mann, Shah said the people of Punjab want results, not publicity. “Bhagwant Mann ji, the people of Punjab do not want promises, they want answers; not announcements, but results; decisive strikes against drug networks; and an impartial investigation into any political patronage received by criminals