Mansa (Punjab) [India], October 14 : Hours after the arrest of the prime accused Asvini, involved in the killing of anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota, the district administration on Wednesday carried out a demolition drive at the residence of the accused amid heavy security deployment.
The development comes after Punjab Police, in a coordinated operation with Rajasthan Police, apprehended the accused shooter from a dharamshala near the Salasar Balaji temple in Churu, Rajasthan, where he was reportedly hiding in disguise.
Explaining the presence of the police force, Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vaibhav Choudhary said the action was an administrative drive against unauthorized construction.
"We are here to maintain law and order. Action is being taken by the administration here. We had received an intimation regarding the same, so we came here with the force to maintain peace. There was input regarding illegal construction, and action is being taken in connection with that," SSP Choudhary said.
The demolition was followed by an agitated crowd setting fire to the commercial shop belonging to Ashvini.

Defending the public retaliation, a Nihang Sikh openly warned that establishments associated with drug peddling across Punjab would meet the "same fate."
Speaking to ANI at the spot, the Nihang Sikh mourned the killing of Jhota and warned that the public would take matters into their own hands against anyone associated with the narcotics trade.
"We will never get Parvinder Singh Jhota back now. His loss is an immense blow to us. But all these people standing here, every single one of them is a 'Jhota'. And whoever acts like this—whoever sells drugs—this is the exact fate they will meet: they will be set on fire! There is no other remedy. This is the only solution: anyone selling drugs, whether a drug peddler, a shopkeeper, a medical store owner, or someone selling out of their home, in the days ahead, their places will be set ablaze just like this," he stated.

Calling on the youth to consolidate their support behind jailed 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh, he added, "Those who are promoting drugs are receiving money and funding, so naturally they will promote it. They are getting massive amounts of cash. When all our youth unite and come together on one single platform, all drugs will be wiped out completely," he said.
"We have only one option: Bhai Amritpal Ji. If you make him the Chief Minister, this entire menace—the whole chapter of drugs—will be finished for good. Complete Khalsa Raj will be established. If that happens, no one will need to be shot. Without a single bullet being fired, the drug trade will shut down," he claimed, warning that if people fail to wake up, "they will kill many more Jhotas like him," he further said.
Meanwhile, in Tarn Taran, Manjit Kaur, relative of Sardar Gurpreet Singh—an incarcerated aide of 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh—claimed that she was forcibly detained by police to prevent her scheduled visit to Mansa to pay respects to the deceased activist.
Speaking to ANI, Kaur said, "They [police] came to my residence at around 5:30 am and started loudly banging on the doors. There were around 15-16 police personnel and a woman officer outside. They told me they had orders from the top to take me away. When I asked for the reason, they insisted I accompany them to the police station. When I tried to record it on my phone, they snatched it away."

She further claimed that she was detained at the local police station for nearly three hours before being let off with travel curbs.
"I was at the police station for 2.5 to 3 hours. Later, people from Waris Punjab De arrived and pressured the authorities to release me. However, police told them that I could not proceed to Mansa. The state government stands exposed today," she stated.
The case pertains to anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota, who was shot by a medical shop owner and later succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to a hospital.
The incident has ignited a political firestorm in the state, with opposition parties attacking the Bhagwant Mann-led government over the alleged failure of law and order and questioning the effectiveness of Punjab's drive against drugs.
Citing a preliminary investigation, Punjab Police stated that the death of anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota was motivated by "personal enmity".
Speaking to ANI, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harjeet Singh stated that police have formed multiple teams to apprehend the prime suspect. He further informed that the police have so far arrested an associate of the suspect.
Additionally, NHRC took cognisance of the anti-drug activist death incident, demanding an Action Taken Report from the concerned authorities regarding the investigation into the incident and action against those behind the incident.
In its letter, NHRC, based on the complaint, also requested the chief secretary to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of individuals working against drug abuse and to prevent such incidents in the future.
Parminder Singh Jhota's mother alleged that her son frequently expressed fear for his life, claiming that he had many enemies who wanted him killed, and demanded severe punishment for the drug mafia in the state.
Speaking to ANI, she further claimed that the police did not even inform the family about the incident. Mother's remarks came after the father of the anti-drug activist appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure the security of his grandchildren, alleging that the Punjab government failed to protect his son.
Vowing to continue the fight against drugs, Jhota's father said that he would keep raising his voice against the drug menace for as long as he lived.