₹2 crore compensation, government job for Jhota’s wife and withdrawal of protest-related cases agreed upon
MANSA: The Punjab Government, the family of slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota and the Jhota Insaaf Action Committee on Wednesday reached an agreement, ending a 23-day deadlock over the family’s demands.
Following the settlement, the Action Committee called off its November 5 programme to gherao Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Sangrur.
The agreement was reached after nearly five hours of negotiations involving Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, senior police officers, Jhota’s family and representatives of the Action Committee.
Under the settlement announced by the committee, the Punjab Government will provide ₹2 crore as compensation to Jhota’s family and a government job to his wife, Manpreet Kaur.
The government also agreed to install a statue or memorial in Jhota’s memory. However, the exact location is yet to be finalised because the committee’s proposed site is reportedly on private property.
A trauma centre proposed at Khiala Kalan will be named after Jhota, with the government expected to issue the necessary approval within a week.
The government representatives also agreed to initiate a time-bound, high-level inquiry into the conduct of police and Health Department officials whose role has been questioned by the family and protesters.
Release of Lakha Sidhana and others
The most contentious issue during the negotiations was the release of social activists Lakha Sidhana, Mohanjit Singh Sheron and other persons arrested during protests connected with the Jhota agitation and the controversy over the body of Daljit Singh of Bhamme Kalan.
The Action Committee demanded their unconditional release and withdrawal of the criminal cases registered against them.
The government reportedly agreed to initiate the process for their release and cancellation or withdrawal of protest-related cases in accordance with the legal procedure.
The committee made it clear that the continuing dharna in Mansa would be lifted only after Lakha Sidhana, Mohanjit Singh Sheron and the other detained activists were released.
The demand also covers cases registered during protests at Bhamme Kalan, Budhlada and Akalia, cases concerning the removal of banners across Punjab, and cases lodged against Jhota’s father and anti-drug campaigners.
Post-mortem planned for November 6
Jhota’s family and the Action Committee agreed to allow the post-mortem examination after the release of the detained activists. Subject to the implementation of the agreement, the post-mortem is expected to be conducted on November 6, followed by the cremation.
Jhota’s body has remained at the Mansa Civil Hospital mortuary since his killing on October 13 because the family had refused to permit the post-mortem until its principal demands were accepted.
The family had also demanded that the examination be conducted by specialist doctors under safeguards linked to the CBI investigation.
Jhota, who had been campaigning against the alleged illegal sale of habit-forming medicines, was shot dead inside a chemist shop in Mansa. The killing triggered widespread protests and intensified public anger over the drug menace and alleged protection enjoyed by drug sellers.
The murder investigation has already been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The Punjab Government had earlier suspended the concerned station house officer, a deputy superintendent of police and a drug inspector.
The agreement also provides for compensation and a government job for the family of Daljit Singh of Bhamme Kalan, whose death and subsequent police action over his body had led to another confrontation between protesters and the police.
The Action Committee said the settlement would be considered fully implemented only after the detained activists were released, the cases were withdrawn and the government issued formal orders concerning compensation, employment and the memorial projects.