The activist was laid to rest on Sunday, 26 days after he was shot dead in a medical store.
Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota was cremated at his family's agricultural field on Chakerian Road in Mansa on Sunday. His elder son and father lit the funeral pyre following the completion of a post-mortem examination at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh on Saturday, according to reports by The Pioneer, Hindustan Times and The Times of India.
Jhota was shot dead on October 13 inside a medical store in a crowded Mansa market while he was hosting a Facebook Live session. He had reportedly confronted the pharmacy owner, Ashwani Kumar, regarding the alleged illegal sale of prescription medicines to an elderly customer. Mansa Police arrested Kumar and three others within 24 hours of the incident.
The activist's father, Bhim Singh, continued an indefinite hunger strike on Sunday, which has entered its second day. Bhim Singh is demanding the transfer of Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vaibhav Chaudhary, alleging that police inaction against drug trafficking contributed to the killing. He stated he will not eat until the SSP is transferred.
The family had previously refused to permit an autopsy, demanding the resignations of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. The stalemate ended after meetings with government representatives, including Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian. The government has since agreed to provide financial compensation and a government job for Jhota's wife.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has re-registered the murder case and initiated a detailed investigation. The Parminder Singh Jhota Insaaf Action Committee, a coalition of social organisations, has been spearheading protests for justice.
