Tension in Mansa After Daljit Singh’s Death; Police Stop Family From Taking Body to Jhota Protest Site

October 28, 2026

Mansa, Punjab: Tension prevailed in a village in Punjab’s Mansa district on Tuesday after police stopped locals from taking the body of a 33-year-old man, Daljit Singh, to the site of an ongoing protest against the killing of anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota. The situation escalated into a clash between police personnel and protesters, following which police took possession of the body.

Daljit Singh, a resident of Bhamme Kalan village, was found dead under circumstances that remain under investigation. While locals suspected a drug overdose, police rejected the claim and said the case appeared to be one of murder.

The incident occurred amid a 15-day protest in Mansa town over the killing of Jhota, who had campaigned against drug abuse. Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, along with activist Mohanjit Singh Sheron and other supporters, reached the village and persuaded locals to move the body from the Mansa-Sirsa road towards the main protest site, around 12 kilometres away.

Police intercepted the group, triggering a confrontation with protesters, including Nihangs who were travelling on the vehicle carrying the casket. Following the clash, police took custody of the body.

Police Call It a Murder Case, Investigation Underway

Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vaibhav Chaudhary said the preliminary investigation suggested that Daljit Singh had been murdered.

According to the SSP, four people allegedly took Daljit away and later threw his body from a vehicle. Police have detained one person and were searching for the others, he said. However, a subsequent update stated that three accused had been arrested in connection with the death.

The exact cause of death will be established after the viscera examination report, the SSP said. The body has been shifted to the mortuary at AIIMS Bathinda.

Police are also registering a separate case of attempt to murder against some protesters, alleging that officers were attacked with swords during the confrontation.

Family and Protesters Allege Police High-Handedness

Protesters accused the police of using excessive force to prevent them from taking the body to the protest site. Villagers alleged that police blocked the Ramditte Wala intersection using parked trucks and deployed a heavy police force to stop the procession.

According to villagers, Daljit had dropped his six-year-old daughter at her school bus stop on Tuesday morning before leaving in a car with several people. Locals alleged that he consumed drugs with the occupants and that they later abandoned his body outside the village after his condition deteriorated. These claims have not been independently confirmed.

Bhim Singh criticised the state government over the alleged drug-related death and warned that the protest would be intensified.

“Youth are dying daily of drug overdoses, but the government is refusing to accept this grim reality,” he said, adding that an action committee would be formed to strengthen the agitation.

BKU Ekta Ugrahan Announces Police Station Protests

Following the police action, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) announced protests outside police stations on Wednesday. The organisation also said its members would join the ongoing protest in Mansa in large numbers.

Bhim Singh appealed to people across Punjab to participate in the agitation, which is demanding action over the killing of Jhota and raising concerns about drug abuse in the state.

Another Suspected Drug-Related Death in Bathinda

The incident comes a day after the body of 32-year-old Ramesh Kumar was found in the Paras Ram Nagar area of Bathinda on Monday. A syringe was allegedly found stuck in his arm, raising suspicion of a possible drug overdose.

The two incidents have renewed concerns and political tensions surrounding drug abuse in Punjab, even as police continue investigating the circumstances of Daljit Singh’s death.