Punjab Police have arrested the main accused in the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Salasar, Rajasthan. The arrest was made during a joint operation involving the Punjab and Rajasthan police, according to the report.

Jhota was shot during an argument at a medical store in Mansa on Tuesday. He was taken to Mansa Civil Hospital, where doctors later declared him dead. At the time of the shooting, he was livestreaming an alleged sale of drugs.

The killing has triggered a political confrontation in Punjab. Opposition leaders have accused the Aam Aadmi Party government led by Bhagwant Mann of failing to tackle the drug threat and maintain law and order. These are political allegations contained in the report and are not presented as an established finding.

What police said about the shooting

Police said Jhota and several other people had questioned the medical store owner about the alleged sale of narcotic substances to a person. Jhota was recording the confrontation on his mobile phone when the dispute escalated.

A video circulating online runs for 5 minutes and 49 seconds. In it, Jhota can be heard saying that the store owner had taken out a pistol. He also challenges the man to shoot, while asking why a weapon was necessary and saying that the group would call a drug inspector.

Jhota further says that an elderly person had bought medicines from the shop and that he had video evidence of the purchase. He also accuses the store owner of selling narcotic substances while asking him to lower the pistol.

According to the police account, the store owner allegedly opened fire after the argument. Jhota and his companions then moved out of the shop. Another video appears to show the medical store owner leaving with a weapon and chasing Jhota, while people nearby run away.

Police said Jhota was later found bleeding inside a nearby shop. He was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead.

The accused named in the case

The report identifies medical store owner Ashwani Kumar as the person police had been looking for and alleges that he fired at Jhota and his companions. It also says the dispute followed objections raised against the alleged sale of intoxicating medicines to an elderly man.

The report links Kumar to an earlier incident in 2023. It says Jhota and his supporters had taken him through a market wearing a garland of shoes after a person was caught with prohibited capsules. A first information report was registered against Kumar at that time, while Jhota faced allegations of assault and forcibly entering the shop.

Jhota was a resident of the Mansa area and had run a campaign against drugs. He regularly used social-media livestreams to highlight the alleged open sale of intoxicating substances. His death has therefore brought renewed political attention to drug-related activity and public safety in the area.

The supplied account states that the main accused has now been arrested in Salasar. It does not provide further details about the arrest, the charges formally applied after the arrest, or the next stage of the investigation.

Conclusion

The verified account is that the main accused in Parvinder Singh Jhota's killing has been arrested in Salasar during a joint Punjab-Rajasthan police operation. Jhota was shot during a dispute at a Mansa medical store and later died in hospital.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who was Parvinder Singh Jhota?

Parvinder Singh Jhota was an anti-drug activist from the Mansa area who campaigned against drugs and used social-media livestreams to highlight alleged open sales.

Q. Where was the main accused arrested?

The main accused was arrested in Salasar, Rajasthan, during a joint operation by Punjab and Rajasthan police.

Q. Where was Jhota shot?

Jhota was shot during an argument at a medical store in Mansa.

Q. What was Jhota doing when he was shot?

He was livestreaming an alleged drug sale and recording the confrontation on his mobile phone.

Q. Where did Jhota die?

He was taken to Mansa Civil Hospital, where doctors later declared him dead.

Q. Who does the report identify in connection with the shooting?

The report identifies medical store owner Ashwani Kumar as the alleged shooter and says police had been looking for him. It separately states that the main accused was arrested in Salasar.