Punjab Bandh: Private schools closed in several districts over activist Parvinder Singh Jhota’s murder

Markets at many places remained shut, and private schools in several districts were closed in Punjab on Thursday in view of a bandh called over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. Jhota's family had given the call for 'Punjab Bandh' with support from political parties including Congress, Akali Dal, BJP and Akali Dal Waris Punjab De; farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers' unions; and state government employees' unions. Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot in broad daylight at a busy marketplace in Mansa town on Tuesday. Ashwani Kumar, the medical store owner who allegedly opened fire on Jhota, was taken into custody from Rajasthan's Salasar on Wednesday.

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Private schools shut

Following the bandh call, shops and markets remained shut at several places, including Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur and Mansa. However, emergency services remained operational. Many private schools in Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Moga and Mansa declared a holiday in view of the shutdown call. Various farmer groups have extended support to the bandh. In Amritsar, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee staged a demonstration against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government on Thursday morning. Led by farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, protesters accused the Bhagwant Mann-led government of failing to check the drug menace and burnt an effigy of the chief minister at the Golden Gate in Amritsar. Pandher demanded that Mann and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav resign on moral grounds. Jhota's father Bhim Singh urged everyone to support the October 15 bandh call.

A joint action committee comprising various organisations and social activists formed after Jhota's murder has demanded the resignations of Chief Minister Mann and DGP Yadav and the dismissal of the Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Station House Officer and drug inspector. They also demand a CBI probe into the matter. The murder, which took place when Jhota was hosting a Facebook Live while questioning the medical store owner for selling addictive substances to an elderly man, has triggered a political slugfest in Punjab, which goes to polls early next year. Chief Minister Mann has vowed the strictest punishment for the accused even as opposition leaders claimed that law and order has completely broken down amid a 'jungle raj' in the state. Reiterating his government's zero-tolerance policy towards drug trafficking, Mann appealed to the people to maintain peace. He said anybody found hatching a conspiracy in this matter will not be spared.