Parvinder Singh Jhota: Mansa anti-drug activist shot dead on a livestream at a chemist shop
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The 45-year-old was filming a row over alleged drug sales when he was shot on 13 October. The accused chemist is held in Rajasthan, his home and shop are demolished, and Punjab faces a bandh on 15 October.
Original report
Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, 45, was shot dead at a chemist shop in Mansa district, Punjab, on Tuesday 13 October 2026, The Tribune reported (The Tribune, 2026). He was livestreaming a confrontation with the shop's owner over the alleged sale of drugs to an elderly man when the shots were fired, The Tribune and UNI reported (The Tribune, 2026; UNI, 2026).
Police have arrested the accused, medical store owner Ashwini Kumar, in Rajasthan, UNI reported (UNI, 2026). A Punjab bandh has been called for Thursday 15 October, with protesters demanding a CBI probe (UNI, 2026).
The man who campaigned against drug sales through chemist shops was killed inside one, on camera. We set the two outlets' reports side by side to build the timeline below.
A livestreamed argument ended in gunfire
The video of the confrontation runs 5 minutes 48 seconds, The Tribune and UNI reported. Nearly 4 minutes of it is argument before the shooting (The Tribune, 2026; UNI, 2026).
In the video, Jhota is heard telling the shop owner: "Take out your pistol and fire", The Tribune reported (The Tribune, 2026).
Four of his associates were injured in the firing, both outlets said. The Tribune reported three bullet wounds, two in the abdomen and one in the thigh, with one bullet piercing the liver (The Tribune, 2026).
The argument on camera was not the first time the two men had met.
The two men had clashed before, in July 2023
The Tribune reports that Jhota had publicly humiliated Ashwani Kumar over alleged drug sales in July 2023 (The Tribune, 2026). The paper describes Jhota as an activist who exposed the alleged sale of drugs through chemist shops.
None of the reports we read carries a police statement on motive. The history between the two men is The Tribune's reporting, not a police finding.
What police did say publicly was about speed.
Police promised an arrest within 24 hours, and it came in Rajasthan
Mansa's Senior Superintendent of Police, Vaibhav Chaudhary, said "the accused would be arrested within 24 hours", The Tribune reported (The Tribune, 2026).
UNI reported that police arrested Ashwini Kumar in Rajasthan (UNI, 2026). Neither report gives the date of the arrest, so it is not clear whether it met the 24-hour promise.
The district administration demolished the accused's house and medical store, UNI reported (UNI, 2026). The reports we read do not state the legal basis for the demolition. Kumar is accused, not convicted; no court has tested the case.
The family's response has turned a district killing into a statewide protest.
His father refuses cremation as Punjab bandh is called
Jhota's father has refused to cremate his son until justice is delivered, The Tribune reported (The Tribune, 2026).
The bandh called for Thursday 15 October carries four demands, according to The Tribune and UNI (The Tribune, 2026; UNI, 2026):
- a CBI probe into the killing;
- a postmortem by a PGIMER panel;
- the resignation of the Chief Minister;
- the dismissal of the state's Director General of Police.
The two outlets that reported these demands chose different stories to lead with.
How the coverage split
The Tribune led with the livestreamed confrontation and the political backlash that followed. UNI led with the bandh and the demolition of the accused's house and store.
The spellings also differ. The activist appears as Jhota and Jhotta, and the accused as Ashwani and Ashwini Kumar, across the reports. We use the forms each outlet used when citing it.
What we don't know yet
- The charges and legal sections Ashwini Kumar faces.
- The date of his arrest in Rajasthan.
- The legal basis for demolishing his house and store.
- The condition of the four associates who were injured.
Questions people are asking
Who was Parvinder Singh Jhota?
A 45-year-old anti-drug activist from Punjab who exposed the alleged sale of drugs through chemist shops, according to The Tribune.
Who shot Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa?
Police have arrested chemist Ashwini Kumar, the owner of the shop, in Rajasthan, UNI reported. He has not been tried.
Why is there a Punjab bandh on 15 October?
It was called over the killing. The demands include a CBI probe and the Chief Minister's resignation, The Tribune and UNI reported.
Was the accused's shop demolished?
Yes. The district administration demolished his house and medical store, UNI reported.
What happens next
The Punjab bandh over the killing is called for Thursday 15 October 2026 (The Tribune, 2026; UNI, 2026).
References
- The Tribune (2026) Anti-drug activist Jhota shot by chemist in Mansa. The Tribune. Available at: Anti-drug activist Jhota shot by chemist in Mansa (Accessed: 14 October 2026).
- UNI (2026) Punjab bandh called over anti-drug activist's killing; accused's house, medical store demolished. United News of India. Available at: Punjab bandh called over anti-drug activist's killing; accused's house, medical store demolished (Accessed: 14 October 2026).
How we did this
We built the timeline above by reading two reports side by side: The Tribune's report from Mansa and UNI's report on the bandh and the demolition, both published after the shooting on 13 October 2026 and read on 14 October. We compared what each outlet led with, where their facts overlap, and where names are spelt differently. Every number and quote comes from those two reports. We did not see the video ourselves.
This story was produced, reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication, with AI assistance where required.
Covered by 4 outlets across the spectrum: 0% left, 75% center, 25% right.
Who is covering this story
- Center (1): Tribune India
- Right-leaning (1): Times Now
Sources
- Mansa on boil over activist’s murder; accused held, mob torches his shop — Tribune India (center) ·
- Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota shot by chemist in Mansa - The Tribune — Tribune India (center) ·
- Parvinder Jhota killing: Who did Mansa chemist call before shooting anti-drug activist? — Tribune India (center) ·
- From Mansa To Gurdaspur: Another Killing Puts Punjab's Drug Menace In Spotlight — Times Now (right-leaning) ·