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Punjab police arrest shop owner for Jhota killing

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 10:11 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Ashwani Kumar Arrested

Punjab police arrested medical store owner Ashwani Kumar for killing anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota on October 13, 2026.
A mob used a bulldozer to raze Kumar’s shop and set it ablaze on October 14, 2026.
Opposition parties and groups called a Punjab bandh on October 15, 2026, demanding resignations of senior officials.
Protesters also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing.

Summary

Beant Kaur Suspended

Women Inspector Beant Kaur, Mansa City-2 SHO, was suspended by SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary on October 15.
Farmer leader Kulwinder Singh and BKU activist Sukhvir Singh were detained near the Jalandhar-Amritsar Highway.
Deputy Commissioner Jaskaran Singh Teja deployed extra personnel and set up barricades around Mansa.
Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill warned against forced shop closures, saying closures may be voluntary only.

Summary

Balbir Singh Orders

The health department inspected 16,788 chemist shops between April 1 2025 and September 30 2026.
It suspended licences of 520 chemists and cancelled 22 licences during that period.
Authorities seized medicines worth Rs 20.6 crore from 214 licensed and unlicensed firms.
Fifty-four court cases were filed, yielding 35 convictions and 650 ongoing trials.
Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh ordered drug officers to intensify inspections under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

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Ashwani Kumar Arrested

Punjab police arrested medical store owner Ashwani Kumar for killing anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota on October 13, 2026.
A mob used a bulldozer to raze Kumar’s shop and set it ablaze on October 14, 2026.
Opposition parties and groups called a Punjab bandh on October 15, 2026, demanding resignations of senior officials.
Protesters also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing.

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