India News | Amit Shah Meets Family of Bikramjit Singh in Gurdaspur, Allegedly Killed for Raising Voice Against Drug Trade
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday visited the residence of Bikramjit Singh in Gurdaspur, who was allegedly killed after raising his voice against the drug trade, and met his family amid growing concerns over drug trafficking and law and order in Punjab.
Gurdaspur (Punjab) [India], October 20 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday visited the residence of Bikramjit Singh in Punjab’s Gurdaspur, who was allegedly killed after raising his voice against the drug trade, and met his family amid growing concerns over drug trafficking and law and order in the northern state.
During his visit to Punjab, Shah is scheduled to meet the families of people who recently lost their lives after allegedly speaking out against drug traffickers in the Gurdaspur, Mansa and Sangrur districts.
BJP Punjab Vice President Fatehjang Singh Bajwa said Shah’s visit conveyed the message that the party would fulfil its commitment to eradicate drugs from the state.
“Just a few days ago in Jalandhar, the BJP and specifically Amit Shah made a promise to the people of Punjab that they would completely eradicate the drug menace in the state, rooting it out entirely by December 31, 2029,” Bajwa told ANI.
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Referring to the recent incidents, he added, “In light of the tragic incident involving Parminder Singh Jhota and all the other distressing events that have unfolded in Punjab--Amit Shah’s visit sends a clear message to the people of Punjab and the entire nation: the Bharatiya Janata Party always delivers on its promises. His visit today conveys a significant message to the people of Punjab that the commitment made in Jalandhar will be fully honoured.”
Shah had earlier expressed condolences to the families who lost their loved ones after raising their voices against the illegal drug trade. He said their pain was beyond words and asserted that attempts to silence those speaking against drugs would not succeed.
The Union Home Minister also reiterated the Centre's commitment to identifying drug traffickers and sending them to prison, stating that the government would work towards making Punjab and the country drug-free.
The visit comes amid a political debate over the drug menace in Punjab, with the BJP accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to tackle the crisis. Shah had alleged that drug traffickers dealing in 'chitta', a term commonly used for heroin in Punjab, were flourishing under the AAP government's protection.
Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora welcomed Shah's visit but raised questions over border security and drug trafficking, including the alleged entry of 3,000 kilograms of heroin through Gujarat's Mundra Port.
Arora also questioned the Centre over the security of Punjab's 543-kilometre international border with Pakistan and raised concerns about the growth of gangster culture and drug trafficking.
On the murder of anti-drug activist Jhota in Mansa, Arora said the state government had decided to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the family's demand.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also announced that the case would be handed over to the CBI, reiterating the state government's commitment to taking strict action against drug traffickers.
Jhota, an anti-drug activist from Mansa district, was allegedly shot dead on October 13 during a confrontation with a medical store owner over the alleged sale of addictive substances. He was taken to a hospital with bullet injuries but later succumbed to them. The incident triggered protests, with farmers' and workers' organisations calling for a statewide bandh on October 15.
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sought a detailed report from the Punjab government on the killing of Bikramjit Singh in Gurdaspur and the injuries sustained by two others, Nishan Singh and Gurmukh Singh, in an alleged attack linked to narcotic drugs.
In a letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary, the MHA referred to the incident in Mari Panwan village under Sri Hargobindpur Police Station in Batala tehsil and sought details of the incident and the action taken by the state government.
The Ministry also sought a comprehensive factual report on Jhota's killing and details of steps taken to implement measures aimed at achieving the national objective of a drug-free India.
These measures include strengthening the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), conducting financial investigations in drug-related cases, improving coordination through the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism, strengthening prosecution, designating courts under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and taking action against transnational drug networks. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)