Union Home Minister Amit Shah on 20 October 2026 met the bereaved family of Vikramjeet Singh, who died following an alleged drug-fuelled mob attack in Gurdaspur, Punjab, and assured them of justice, financial assistance, a pension for the deceased's mother, and a government job for his niece. The Home Minister also agreed to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident, accepting a demand made by the family.

What Happened in Gurdaspur

According to the family, Vikramjeet Singh was living with his elderly mother when a group of 10 to 15 youths, allegedly under the influence of drugs, attacked them during what the family described as a routine evening walk. A family member stated there was no prior enmity between Singh and the attackers. Vikramjeet sustained severe injuries and died at the scene, while two other individuals were critically injured and are currently hospitalised.

'They had simply gone out for a walk when they were attacked,' the family member said, adding that the deceased's mother and son had been living alone together, with no one else to care for them.

Family's Demands and the Home Minister's Assurances

The family placed four key demands before the visiting Home Minister: an impartial investigation, strict action against drug trafficking in Punjab, a pension for Vikramjeet's mother, and a government job for his niece Saroj Deepak, who had been regularly visiting to look after the two. Shah assured the family that the Centre stood firmly with them and that their security and well-being would be taken care of.

Saroj Deepak, who is also a college student, specifically demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing, and the Home Minister reportedly agreed to the demand. 'We want justice, and drugs must be eradicated from Punjab so that no other family has to suffer like this,' she said, describing the broader social toll of the drug menace on families across the state.

BJP's Political Response

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashwani Kumar Sharma, who accompanied the Home Minister, said Shah shared the family's grief and reaffirmed the Centre's commitment. 'The Central Government, the Modi government, and the Union Home Minister stand firmly with them. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring justice for the family,' Sharma said.

The visit carries political weight: Punjab has been at the centre of long-running debates over drug trafficking, law enforcement accountability, and Centre-state relations. Critics argue that high-level assurances have often not translated into tangible action on ground-level drug networks in the state.

Broader Context: Punjab's Drug Crisis

The Gurdaspur incident is the latest in a series of drug-related violence cases that have drawn national attention to Punjab's persistent narcotics problem. Saroj Deepak's reference to 'young children being introduced to drugs, ruining families and destroying homes' echoes concerns raised repeatedly by civil society groups and court-monitored drug de-addiction programmes in the state. A CBI probe, if ordered formally, would mark an escalation of central oversight into what has historically been treated as a state law-and-order matter.

What Comes Next

The formal order for a CBI investigation, as well as the administrative process for the pension and job assurances, is expected to be initiated in the coming days. The two critically injured individuals remain hospitalised, and their condition will be closely watched. Whether the Home Minister's assurances translate into swift institutional action will determine how this case is remembered — as a turning point or as yet another unfulfilled pledge to a grieving family.