Full Breakdown
Amit Shah’s Punjab visit sparks political showdown over the drug crisis
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 20 2026 Union Home Minister Amit Shah toured Gurdaspur, Sangrur and Mansa, meeting families of three victims of Punjab’s drug problem:
- Bikramjit Singh, killed on October 15 2026 after confronting alleged drug peddlers;
- Gulzar Singh, a Dalit daily-wage worker who died by suicide on September 7 2026 after alleging harassment for questioning drug supplies;
- Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug activist shot dead inside a medical store on October 13 2026 while livestreaming.
Shah pledged a central drive to eradicate the illicit narcotics network by December 31 2029 and urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to transfer the two remaining murder inquiries to the CBI.
Background & Context
Punjab’s synthetic heroin (“chitta”) crisis has dominated state politics for over a decade. The AAP government, elected in 2022, promised to end the trade within three months—a pledge still unmet. Jhota’s murder, broadcast live, sparked protests and a demand for a CBI probe. Hours before Shah’s arrival, Mann announced the state would hand the Jhota case to the CBI, a move the BJP framed as evidence of the state’s inaction. The drug issue is now a focal point of the BJP’s 2027 Punjab Assembly campaign.
Timeline
- September 7 2026 – Gulzar Singh’s suicide.
- October 13 2026 – Parvinder Singh Jhota shot dead.
- October 15 2026 – Bikramjit Singh killed.
- October 20 2026 – Amit Shah’s visit and family meetings.
- December 31 2029 – Target date for a drug-free Punjab, announced by Shah.
Data & Statistics
- Shah cited INR20,000 crore worth of drugs seized at ports in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
- Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh has written to the centre (letters dated Sept 21 2026 and Oct 31 2025) requesting that Pregabalin, Tramadol and Zopiclone be added to the NDPS Act schedule; no action yet.
- Punjab Police reported seizures of roughly 3,000 kg of heroin from Kandla port, a figure used by Mann to criticize the centre.
Official Statements & Responses
- Shah said the AAP had failed its three-month promise and that the CBI would pursue the perpetrators regardless of influence.
- Mann countered, asking why the centre had not acted on drug smuggling during the 2007-2017 BJP-Akali Dal alliance and accused Shah of politicising victims’ grief ahead of elections.
- Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema demanded an explanation of the centre’s role in dismantling supply chains that operate in BJP-ruled states, noting Punjab’s own anti-drone system after the centre declined assistance.
Criticism & Opposition
- Manjinder Singh Sirsa (BJP) called for Mann’s resignation and that of the state DGP, alleging the drug trade flourishes under the current administration.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Police describe Bikramjit Singh’s death as a scuffle over a mobile phone, while his family and activists claim a targeted killing linked to his anti-drug stance.
- Gulzar Singh’s suicide is attributed by his family to caste-based harassment, whereas official records list only self-poisoning.
- No forensic reports on seized drug consignments have been released, leaving the supply-chain scale unclear.
What’s Next
The central government has set a December 31 2029 deadline to declare Punjab drug-free. Ongoing CBI investigations into the three cases remain the only scheduled actions.