Tension gripped Punjab’s Mansa after police took possession of the body of 35-year-old Daljit Singh, whose family suspects he died of a drug overdose, as relatives and villagers attempted to take his body to the ongoing protest demanding justice for anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
The family and villagers alleged that police forcibly took the body from them, blocked their route with vehicles and trucks, and detained several protesters. Lakha Singh Sidhana, a leader of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), was also detained.
The incident occurred on the Sirsa-Mansa Road as the family and villagers sought to take Daljit’s body to the Jhota ‘Insaaf’ (justice) dharna at Trikoni Chowk in Mansa.
According to the protesters, police personnel in sizeable numbers intervened, took possession of the body and dispersed the gathering.
Videos from the spot showed police personnel dragging protesters away during the intervention.
The family has maintained that Daljit died of a suspected drug overdose and demanded the arrest of those allegedly involved in drug peddling.
According to the family, Daljit had gone to Mansa in the morning, allegedly to procure drugs, and his body was later found in fields near Ramanandi.
However, police have not officially confirmed drug overdose as the cause of death. Authorities are awaiting the post-mortem report to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary said a young man had been murdered in Bhamme Kalan village and that three people had been taken into custody in connection with the case.
He said some elements were attempting to disturb the atmosphere, prompting police to intervene and take action.
The SSP said the body had been moved to another location and clarified that police would not force the family to cremate it.
Further action, he said, would be taken only with the family’s consent. He also maintained that the Jhota justice protest was peaceful and that police would not take action against the dharna.
Meanwhile, police accused Sidhana of attempting to create unrest during the protest.
His detention added to the tension surrounding the incident, with the family and villagers alleging that the police intervention had prevented them from taking Daljit’s body to the protest site.
Daljit’s death has added another flashpoint to the ongoing agitation against drugs in Mansa. The Congress and the BJP have criticised the Bhagwant Mann-led government, questioning its handling of the drug menace and the police response to protests.
Punjab Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa criticised the police action in a post on X, questioning the government’s response to another reported drug-related death.
Mansa Police rushing away with the body of a young man, reportedly after an overdose death, raises serious questions. Another young life lost to the drug menace in Punjab. How many more families must suffer before the @BhagwantMann takes responsibility? @INCIndia @INCPunjab @SachinPilot— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) October 27, 2026
“Mansa Police rushing away with the body of a young man, reportedly after an overdose death, raises serious questions. Another young life lost to the drug menace in Punjab. How many more families must suffer before Bhagwant Mann takes responsibility?” Bajwa wrote.
BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu also condemned the incident, alleging that the police forcibly took Daljit’s body from his family.
He described the action as “shameful, inhuman, violation of human rights” and accused the state government of failing to control the drug trade.
“Drug mafia is rampant, government has failed! Stop suppressing voices, Bhagwant Mann should resign!” Bittu wrote, demanding the chief minister’s resignation.
- , ! - , , ! , ! , ! - , ! ' - , , ! , ! , ! Punjab reduced to this dark reality: Turbans tossed to the ground and police running away after snatching a dead body! The Mansa incident is beyond shameful: Forcibly snatching the body of 35-year-old Daljit Singh—who fell victim to drugs—from his grieving family is outright barbaric and a blatant violation of basic human rights. Drug mafia runs rampant while the government completely fails: Stop silencing the cries for justice. CM Bhagwant Mann must resign immediately. @TV9Bharatvarsh @DDNewslive @BJPCentralMedia @ptcnews @abpsanjha @News18Punjab @ZeePunjabHH @dailyajitnews @JagbaniOnline @RozanaSpokesman @PTribuneOnline @punjabkesari @RepublicTV @ndtv @IndiaToday @aajtak @ZeeNews @News18India @ABPNews @CNNnews18 @ThePrintIndia @the_hindu @IndianExpress @htTweets @EconomicTimes @PTI_News @thetribunechd @ANI @ians_india @news24tvchannel— Ravneet Singh Bittu (@RavneetBittu) October 27, 2026
He further alleged that the incident reflected a breakdown in governance and raised concerns over the treatment of families seeking justice.
JHOTA JUSTICE PROTEST CONTINUES
The latest confrontation comes nearly a fortnight after the start of the protest demanding justice for Jhota, who was shot dead inside a medical store in Mansa on October 13 after confronting its owner over alleged illegal drug sales.
Jhota’s killing triggered widespread outrage and intensified scrutiny of Punjab’s drug menace and the state government’s anti-drug campaign.
Four accused in the murder case — Ashwani Kumar, Neelam Rani, Vipan and Laddi — were remanded to judicial custody until November 5.
Jhota’s body remains in the civil hospital mortuary, with the post-mortem examination and last rites yet to be conducted, as the justice protest continues.
With the post-mortem report awaited in Daljit’s case, the cause of death remains unconfirmed. The immediate focus is on establishing the circumstances of his death, addressing the family’s demand for action against alleged drug peddlers and preventing further escalation around the ongoing protest.
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With inputs by Amarjeet Chahal