Daljit Singh’s family hauled his body onto the Sirsa‑Mansa stretch, turning the highway into a protest site on Tuesday, demanding that authorities clamp down on local drug dealers.
The 35‑year‑old, a breadwinner for his wife Paramjit Kaur and two children, was discovered in fields near Ramanandi with a syringe visibly lodged in his hand, a grim sign pointing to a possible overdose.
Police spokesperson Harpreet Singh said the official cause of death would only be confirmed after a post‑mortem, but assured the family that drug peddlers in the area would face arrest soon.
The incident follows the high‑profile murder of anti‑drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, which sent shockwaves through Punjab and led to the suspension of senior officers. The new death may reignite pressure on state officials to tighten enforcement against the drug trade that has long plagued Mansa district.