Mansa, Nov 8 (PTI) The mortal remains of slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, whose murder last month triggered protests and a political row, were brought to his native place here on Sunday for last rites.
Following a post-mortem at PGIMER in Chandigarh on Saturday, Jhota's body was taken to his native place, where last rites would be conducted.
Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight at a medical store in a busy marketplace in Mansa town on October 13. The store owner, who had fired at Jhota after the activist confronted him over the sale of addictive drugs to an elderly man, was subsequently arrested.
A large number of people turned up at his home to pay their last respects before the cremation was held.
On Saturday, a member of the joint action committee had said Jhota's cremation would take place at his native place in Mansa on Sunday.
The joint action committee (JAC), also known as the Parminder Singh Jhota Insaaf Action Committee, is a coalition of various social organisations and activists formed in Punjab after Jhota's murder.
The cremation will be held at Jhota's fields on Chakerian Road in Mansa. Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, on Saturday called upon the youth of Punjab to pledge against drug abuse.
"We will take the body to our residence first and thereafter, between 12 and 1 pm, Jhota will be cremated on Diwali Day," said Singh while speaking to reporters in Chandigarh on Saturday.
Jhota's body was brought to PGIMER Chandigarh from the mortuary of Civil Hospital in Mansa in the early hours of Friday, after his family ended their 22-day agitation and agreed to a post-mortem following a meeting with Punjab government representatives on Wednesday.
On Friday, Jhota's father said he would go on a fast demanding the immediate transfer of Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary.
Jhota's family, along with the JAC, had been sitting on a protest in Mansa seeking justice for the slain activist. On October 28, two JAC members, Lakhvir Singh and Mohanjit Singh Sheron, were arrested during the protest.
On the evening of November 5, the JAC members were released from Nabha district jail after a meeting between the protesters and government representatives, including Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, on November 4.
The murder incident, which took place while Jhota was hosting a Facebook Live session, triggered a political slugfest in Punjab, which goes to polls early next year.
Opposition parties in Punjab had stepped up their attack on the Mann government over the drug issue and law and order after Jhota's murder.
The JAC had been pressing for the resignations of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.
The Punjab government had earlier handed over the probe into Jhota's death to the CBI following his family's demand. The state government had suspended a station house officer, a deputy superintendent of police and a drug inspector in connection with the case.
The family has been demanding setting up a trauma centre in Jhota's name and compensation for each of the four injured persons in the incident, which were agreed to by the government.
Other demands the government agreed to include installation of Jhota's statue at either a park or a stadium.
