Union Home Minister Amit Shah granted X‑category security to the family of slain Punjab anti‑drug activist Parvinder Jhota in Mansa on October 20, 2026, after the family voiced fears of retaliation.
Jhota was shot dead on October 13 while livestreaming a confrontation with a local chemist accused of illegally selling synthetic narcotics; he succumbed to the injuries at a nearby hospital.
In the days following the killing, the Centre dispatched a team of nine CRPF personnel to Mansa and the CBI re‑registered the case, ordering a joint probe into alleged links between the murder and the open sale of banned psychotropic substances.
Opposition parties slammed CM Bhagwant Mann’s government for alleged law‑and‑order lapses, demanding a stronger crackdown on illicit drug trade.
The Jhota family, living in a modest home on Main Street, received anonymous threats and now lives under constant surveillance.
The CBI will conduct forensic analysis and interview witnesses, while the CRPF patrols the area; a formal inquiry is slated for November 1.