Full Breakdown
Punjab’s Drug Crisis Becomes the Central Battleground Ahead of the 2027 Assembly Election
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Core Event: Surge in Drug-Related Deaths and Political Showdowns
On October 28 2026 police seized the body of 35-year-old Daljit Singh in Mansa after his family alleged a drug overdose. The incident followed the October 13 killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, captured on video as he confronted a chemist. Both deaths have sparked street protests, road blockades, and statements from the ruling AAP, the BJP, the SAD and the Congress.
02
Background & Context: Decades-Long Trafficking and “Sacrilege” Cases
Punjab’s drug problem predates independence, with opium and poppy husk historically consumed in small quantities. Post-Independence bans were circumvented via neighboring Rajasthan’s legal opium thekas. The 2015 Bargari case and other “sacrilege” incidents have left unresolved grievances that still surface alongside the current overdose surge.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Data & Statistics: Scope of the Crisis
- NCRB 2024 data: 6,060 drug-trafficking cases in Punjab, the highest in India, and 106 overdose deaths, second only to Tamil Nadu’s 313.
- Since March 31 2025, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reported 68,545 drug-related cases and ?90,000 arrests.
- Seizures include 450 kg heroin, drug money worth INR23 crore, 67 lakh capsules, 4,200 injections and 84 kg powder.
- A 553-km border with Pakistan makes Punjab a conduit for heroin from the Golden Crescent; 25 % of NDPS FIRs in 2022 involved pharmaceutical drugs, 80 % of which entered from neighboring states.
- Drone-smuggling incidents rose from 3 in 2021 to >200 in 2025, prompting a dedicated anti-drone wing of the BSF.
04
Official Statements & Responses
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited families in Mansa, Gurdaspur and Sangrur, urging CBI probes into the killings and highlighting synthetic-drug overdoses. AAP chief minister Bhagwant Mann defended the “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” campaign launched in March 2025, emphasizing supply-choking operations and community volunteers (“Pind De Pehredar”).
05
Criticism & Opposition
- Pargat Singh, Punjab Congress president, called the Mann administration a “police state” and condemned police handling of protestors and bodies.
06
On-the-Ground Reports
Families of Daljit Singh placed his body on the Sirsa-Mansa road, blocking traffic until authorities intervened. Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary announced a murder investigation, saying the body had been “thrown” onto the road and that three suspects had been apprehended. Protesters in Mansa have demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav.
07
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The cause of Daljit Singh’s death remains disputed: the family cites overdose, while police describe the incident as “misinformation” and have opened a murder case. NCRB overdose figures contrast with activist claims of a rising death toll, but no alternative official count is provided. Details of the alleged INR736 crore drug network cited by Kejriwal have not been independently verified.
08
What’s Next: Election-Year Strategies
The BJP plans to contest all 117 Punjab assembly seats, with President Kewal Singh Dhillon reaffirming a full-state slate. A possible BJP-SAD alliance remains under discussion, while the Congress will launch a mass “Insaaf Rally” in Sangrur on November 4 2027, featuring Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi. All parties have signaled that the drug issue will dominate campaign narratives, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations and the scheduled CBI probe into the Jhota killing.