Jhota family agrees to autopsy and cremation after 22-day protest
The Punjab government has promised Rs 2 crore compensation and a job for the wife of slain activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
The family of slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota has agreed to his postmortem and cremation, according to the Deccan Herald. This decision follows a five-hour meeting on Wednesday evening in Mansa between the family, a joint action committee, and Punjab government representatives.
Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian met with the family and the committee to reach the agreement. As part of the settlement, the state government will provide Rs 2 crore in compensation to the Jhota family and a job for his wife.
The government also committed to providing Rs 50 lakh and a job to a relative of Daljit Singh of Bhamme Kalan, who passed away on October 27. Additionally, the state has agreed to release protesters including Lakha Sidhana and withdraw cases filed against them.
Jhota was shot dead on October 13 inside a medical store in Mansa while hosting a Facebook Live session. The store owner, Ashwani Kumar, allegedly opened fire after Jhota questioned him regarding the sale of addictive drugs to an elderly person. Kumar has been taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan.
The probe into the murder has been handed over to the CBI following demands from the family. The joint action committee has agreed to suspend its planned protest at the chief minister's residence scheduled for November 5.
The postmortem of Jhota is expected to take place at the PGIMER in Chandigarh. The body has been kept at the Mansa Civil Hospital mortuary since the incident.