Parvinder Jhota Murder Case: 3 Women IAS Officers Meet Family, Action Committee to Break Deadlock

A three-member panel comprising senior women IAS officers, accompanied by senior police officials, met the family of slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota and representatives of the 21-member action committee in Mansa on Monday in an effort to resolve the continuing deadlock over the family’s demands for justice.

The meeting was attended by Jhota’s father Bhim Singh, his wife Manpreet Kaur and members of the action committee constituted following his murder.

During the meeting, the family submitted a written memorandum containing nine demands to the government-appointed panel.

The three IAS officers on the panel are Apneet Riat, Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar and Mansa Deputy Commissioner Navneet Kaur.

DIG Harjeet Singh and Mansa SSP Vaibhav Choudhary were among the senior police officers present.

Addressing mediapersons after the meeting on behalf of the panel, IAS officer Apneet Riat confirmed that the family had submitted a letter outlining its demands.

She said the major demands included a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into Jhota’s murder, the resignations of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, and strict action against police and Health Department officials.

The family has also demanded the installation of a statue of Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa and the naming of a trauma centre and the cricket ground at Khalsa College after the slain activist.

Riat said the panel would meet the family and the action committee again within a day or two to continue discussions on the demands.

The IAS officer said the family had also raised concerns regarding those injured in the shooting incident.

She informed that the Punjab Government was providing free medical treatment to the injured and was considering financial assistance for them.

However, no specific amount or decision regarding such assistance was announced.

Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead on October 13, allegedly by a medical store owner, triggering widespread protests and demands for action against those responsible.

Monday’s meeting was the first formal interaction between the government-appointed panel and Jhota’s family and the 21-member action committee.

The family and committee have so far refused to allow the post-mortem examination of Jhota’s body and have also declined to proceed with his cremation until their demands are addressed.

The latest talks represent an attempt by the Punjab Government to resolve the impasse, although no agreement was announced following the meeting.

Significantly, the meeting took place a day ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Punjab on October 20.

Shah is expected to visit Mansa and may meet Jhota’s family during his Punjab tour.

The outcome of the government’s discussions with the family and the action committee will be closely watched amid the continuing protests and growing political attention surrounding the murder.