Speaking out from across the state border, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, condemned the broad-daylight murder of Parvinder Singh Jhota, a Punjab-based activist who had campaigned against drug abuse — calling the killing a grim signal that raising one's voice against narcotics in Punjab is no longer safe.

Posting on X in Hindi, CM Saini wrote: 'Punjab mein nashe ke khilaaf aawaaz uthaane waale activist Parvinder Singh Jhota ki dindahaade hui hatya behad dukhhad aur durbhagyapurna hai' — ('The daylight murder of activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who raised his voice against drugs in Punjab, is deeply saddening and unfortunate'). He added pointedly: 'Today, in Punjab, the situation has become such that even speaking up against drugs is no longer safe.'

Who was Parvinder Singh Jhota?

Parvinder Singh Jhota was a Punjab-based social activist known for his public campaign against the drug epidemic that has ravaged communities across the state for over two decades. His killing — reportedly in broad daylight — has drawn immediate political attention and raised urgent questions about the safety of civil society voices in the state.

Punjab's drug crisis and the politics of accountability

Punjab has struggled with organised drug trafficking and addiction for more than two decades, with the crisis cutting across districts and demographics. The state's proximity to international smuggling routes and porous borders has made enforcement a persistent challenge for successive governments. Political parties — from the Congress years to the current Aam Aadmi Party administration — have faced recurring accusations of inadequate action.

Leaders from neighbouring states, especially BJP-governed Haryana, have frequently weighed in on Punjab's law-and-order situation, given the cross-border movement of narcotics and the shared social fallout. CM Saini's statement continues that pattern, framing the murder as evidence of a governance failure that extends beyond one incident.

The chilling effect on anti-drug voices

What makes Jhota's killing particularly alarming to activists and observers is the target: not a dealer or a trafficker, but someone fighting on the side of communities most devastated by the crisis. If campaigners against drugs face lethal retribution in the open, the message to others willing to step forward is unmistakable. The murder has already reignited demands for a credible police investigation and accountability from the Punjab administration.

As of now, the Punjab government has not issued a formal response to CM Saini's statement, and details of the police investigation remain unclear. The next few days will reveal whether Jhota's death becomes a catalyst for state action — or another unresolved chapter in Punjab's long, painful reckoning with narcotics.