The Punjab government has come out with another two hangings for anti-drugs activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in connection with the murder. The deputy superintendent of Police (DSP) Harjinder Singh Gill and Drug Inspector Naresh were suspended today after complaints that the cops did not take any action regarding selling of drugs in the area.
The action follows the state government handing it over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that has registered a case to look into it. This coincided with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s meeting with the relatives of Jhota and other anti-drug activists.
Ashwani, a chemist shop custodian, was arrested after shooting some 35-year-old Jhota dead on October 13. Earlier in the case, Police In-charge SHO of Mansa police station, Beant Kaur was also suspended.
The activist had expressed many concerns to his family regarding the alleged drug trafficking and had reported it to the authorities, according to his family. The family has been wondering why nothing was done about it after it requested that action be taken up to bring this problem to the notice of the officials.
The latest bans were an answer to requests from the family seeking accountability, according to the latest reports. But the exact reason for the action and if there are specific findings in this case against the officials who have been suspended is not clear.
The CBI probe will probe the circumstances of Jhota’s death as well as allege of drug activity and complaints not being received by police.
The case has been a focus of a debate on drug trafficking and the reaction of the law-enforcement agencies in Punjab. Additional information might come out during the investigation about the alleged failures, the accused’s actions and what the officials did prior to the murder.
While the charges against the suspended officials are on investigation, clarifications from the CBI will prove significant in elaborate details of the accusation.