Full Breakdown
Punjab’s Drug Crisis Sparks Political Firestorm
By Drooid · · How we work
The Escalating Crisis and Recent Violence
On October 15, anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead outside a medical store in Mansa while livestreaming on Facebook. The video spread quickly, prompting a joint Punjab-Rajasthan police operation that led to the arrest of the alleged shooter, Ashwani Kumar, near Shri Ganganagar Dharamshala in Rajasthan.
Background & Context
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, launched the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign in 2024, promising to eradicate the state’s drug menace within three months. Opposition leaders say the problem has worsened, citing the widespread availability of “chitta” (synthetic heroin) and the flow of chemical precursors across the India-Pakistan border.
Data & Statistics
- Police recorded 324 encounters with gangsters between April 2022 and November 2025, roughly one every four days.
- More than 30 grenade attacks and blasts have been reported since September 2024, many targeting police stations.
- At the end of 2025, officials said over 400 gang modules remained active, with ?40 foreign-based gangsters attempting to foment violence.
- The Home Ministry reported a seizure of INR21,000 crore worth of cocaine at Mundra Port, cited by opposition figures as evidence of a larger influx into Punjab.
Official Statements & Responses
- Punjab Police announced that Ashwani Kumar was apprehended in Rajasthan after a multi-state chase traced through CCTV footage. The district administration later carried out a demolition drive at the accused’s residence.
- Sardar Kewal Singh Dhillon, president of the Punjab BJP, demanded Chief Minister Mann’s resignation on October 14, 2026, and wrote to Governor Gulab Chand Kataria seeking a CBI inquiry into Jhota’s murder.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that the BJP would eradicate Punjab’s drug menace if given a mandate, setting March 31, 2029 as the deadline for a drug-free Punjab.
Criticism & Opposition
- Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot accused both the AAP state government and the BJP-led Centre of failing to curb the drug trade, linking the law-and-order breakdown to “narco money.”
- BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the AAP government is “shielding the drug mafia” and presiding over a collapse of law and order.
- Opposition parties have highlighted Jhota’s killing and a series of attacks on police, bank managers, and public figures as evidence of a deteriorating security environment.
On-the-Ground Reports
Eyewitnesses said Jhota confronted a chemist over alleged illegal drug sales. During the five-minute livestream, the shop owner brandished a pistol and opened fire, killing Jhota. The video ended when his phone fell. Residents in towns such as Faridkot reported families posting “house for sale” signs out of fear of drug-related violence.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Opposition leaders cite police figures on gang encounters, grenade attacks, and drug seizures, but independent verification has not been published. While the BJP cites a March 31, 2029 deadline for eliminating the drug menace, the AAP government has not disclosed a concrete timeline or measurable milestones for its anti-drug campaign.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There is an unlimited supply of ‘chitta’ (drugs), as they call it in Punjab, and chemical drugs are coming into Punjab from across the border,” — Sachin Pilot
These statements capture the core accusations from Congress and the opposition regarding the scale of the drug problem and perceived governmental inaction.