Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], October 22 (ANI): Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Thursday staged a demonstration in Chandigarh against the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government and the Punjab Police, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Director General of Police (DGP) over the escalating drug menace in the state.
Protesters raised slogans including "Bhagwant Mann kursi chhodo" (Bhagwant Mann step down) and demanded accountability from the state administration, alleging complicity and failure on the part of law enforcement agencies to curb drug trafficking.
Speaking to ANI during the protest, ABVP leader Ankit Bidhan alleged that the youth in Punjab, especially school and college students, are increasingly falling victim to drug abuse while the authorities remain passive.
"Today, we are seeking answers from the Punjab Police and the Punjab Government. Those responsible for maintaining law and order are instead enabling the drug trade. Our brother Sardar Parminder Jhota raised his voice against drug peddlers, and what happened? He was targeted and murdered, while Punjab Police sat idle," Bidhan alleged.
Bidhan further cited a recent incident involving law enforcement personnel, claiming, "Recently, 15 kilograms of drugs were recovered from a Punjab Police head constable who was part of a VIP security convoy. How can such vast quantities of drugs circulate without the knowledge or complicity of the police and administration?"
Calling the Punjab government's anti-drug campaigns mere public relations exercises, the ABVP leader said, "The government's anti-drug drive is restricted to social media and posters. In reality, drugs continue to be pushed into the state. We demand that the Punjab government and the DGP resign immediately. We also urge the Central Government to initiate an impartial investigation into the involvement of police officials."
Bidhan warned that if the state administration fails to take concrete steps against the drug mafia and address their concerns, the student outfit will intensify its agitation across the region.
Earlier on October 21, the investigation into the murder of Parminder Singh Jhota in Punjab intensified as Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams gathered to collect evidence and samples from the spot of the incident.
According to police sources, the probe took a decisive administrative turn with the suspension of Mansa-based Drug Inspector Naresh Kumar and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Harjinder Singh Gill.
Following the Parvinder Jhota murder case, Mansa-based Drug Inspector Naresh Kumar and DSP Harjinder Singh Gill have been suspended from service, police sources said.
The disciplinary action follows allegations from the victim's family, alleging that they were colluding with Ashwani Kumar, who was accused in connection with the killing in Punjab’s Mansa district on October 13, 2026. It was further alleged that on the day of the incident, Parvinder Jhota called the DSP, yet the latter failed to arrive at the scene.
Consequently, a request for action against them was submitted, resulting in this disciplinary action.
The developments came amid a continuing protest by the family of Jhota in Mansa over his murder. They demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry into the killing, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also visited them on October 20. (ANI)
Chandigarh: ABVP protests over rising drug crisis in Punjab, seeks resignation of CM Mann and police chief
