Amit Shah meets family of anti-drug activist hacked to death in Punjab

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the grieving family of Bikramjit Singh, who was hacked to death after allegedly confronting drug peddlers. It marked the first in a series of meetings Shah is scheduled to hold with families of those who died in incidents linked to opposition to the drug menace in Punjab.Home Minister Amit Shah expresses condolences to mother of slain anti-drugs activist Bikramjit Singh.Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday visited the family of slain anti-drug activist Bikramjit Singh in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, as he began a series of meetings with families of people who died in incidents linked to opposing drug trafficking in the state.Singh (40) was attacked with a sharp weapon along with two others in Pannawan village on October 15 after they allegedly objected to drug peddling. He died at the spot, while the other two sustained serious injuries.A video showed Shah offering condolences to Singh’s mother and speaking with other members of the grieving family.Shah is scheduled to travel to Sangrur district next to meet the family of Gulzar Singh, a Dalit man who died by suicide on September 7. His family alleged that he consumed poison after being harassed and subjected to casteist slurs for questioning Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the supply of drugs in his locality. The Home Minister will later visit Mansa to meet the family of Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug activist who was shot dead inside a medical store on October 13 while hosting a Facebook Live.Jhota, known for speaking out against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, had reportedly confronted medical store owner Ashwani Kumar for allegedly selling drugs to an elderly man. Kumar opened fire, killing him. Punjab BJP vice-president Fatehjang Singh Bajwa said Shah’s visit reaffirmed the party’s commitment to tackling the drug menace."Just a few days ago in Jalandhar, the BJP -- and specifically Amit Shah -- made a promise to the people of Punjab: that they would completely eradicate the drug menace in the state, rooting it out entirely by December 31, 2029," Bajwa said.He added that Shah’s visit sent a message that the BJP always delivers on its promises.- Ends