Police detain Lakha Sidhana and Bhana Sidhu beside family of deceased youth
MANSA: Tension escalated in Mansa on Tuesday after police took custody of the body of a 35-year-old man from Bhamme Kalan village while residents were reportedly bringing it to the town to demand action against alleged drug dealers.
The deceased was identified in the account received as Diljit Singh, known as Jeetu. His family and supporters alleged that he died from a drug overdose. Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary disputed that claim, saying misinformation was being circulated about the cause of death. Medical confirmation of the cause was not available.
According to protesters, approximately 500 people were accompanying the body when police intervened and forcibly took it away. They alleged that the deceased’s father and several people accompanying the family were also detained.
Chaudhary gave a different account, saying police received information that somebody had abandoned a body on the road and subsequently took it into custody. He said three people had been arrested to maintain law and order and warned of strict action against anyone breaking the law.
An attempt-to-murder case was also reported to have been registered in connection with the confrontation. However, the FIR, the names of those booked and the specific allegations supporting that charge were not available for verification.
Activists Lakha Sidhana and Bhana Sidhu, who have supported the agitation seeking justice for slain anti-drug campaigner Parvinder Singh Jhota, were reportedly taken into custody. Their precise legal status and the grounds for the reported arrests could not immediately be confirmed.
Anti-drug activist Mohanjit Singh, who also reported being detained, alleged that police had prevented the family from bringing the body to Mansa. He appealed to supporters to reach the town, describing the situation as deeply concerning.
The developments drew a sharp response from Jhota’s family. His father, Bhim Singh, accused the administration of high-handedness and alleged that members of the action committee leading the agitation had been arrested.
He reiterated the family’s demands for the resignations of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav, along with stronger action against police and drug-control officials whom the family blames for failures surrounding Jhota’s killing.
Jhota’s mother alleged that police had denied Jeetu’s family the opportunity to perform his last rites. She also accused the government of targeting supporters of the anti-drug agitation through false cases. She said that her son Parvinder Jhota was fighting against drug mafia for the last five years but the Bhagwant Mann government turned a blind eye and deaf ear to voices of protest.