Punjab Anti-Drug Activist Parvinder Singh Jhota's Alleged Killer, Medical Store Owner Ashwani Kumar, Arrested in Rajasthan's Salasar

Punjab Police have arrested medical store owner Ashwani Kumar from Salasar in Rajasthan on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, a day after he allegedly shot dead anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in broad daylight in Punjab's Mansa district, according to Free Press Journal and Republic World. Kumar is an accused, and the allegations against him have not been tested in court.

Jhota was killed on Tuesday, October 13, after confronting Kumar, who ran a medical shop, for allegedly selling drugs to an elderly man, Free Press Journal reported. The confrontation was captured on camera during a live Facebook session hosted by Jhota. After the shooting, Kumar fled and police launched a manhunt.

Wipidia has not seen an FIR or an official police statement in the reports reviewed, so details such as the exact location, the number of shots fired and the charges registered are not available here.

Republic World reported that Kumar was taken into custody from Salasar in a joint operation by the Punjab and Rajasthan Police. Salasar is in Rajasthan's Churu district. Free Press Journal attributed the arrest to sources and said he was nabbed on Wednesday.

Police had already arrested an associate on Tuesday who allegedly helped Kumar escape, both outlets reported. The associate's identity was not given in the reports reviewed.

The killing left Mansa simmering with tension. According to Free Press Journal, Jhota's supporters vandalised the medical shop, and his family refused to cremate his body in protest. Republic World also reported that supporters protested after the incident. It was not clear from the reports whether the family's protest has ended or whether the cremation has taken place.

Republic World's headline reported "bulldozer action" against the accused, saying Kumar's house was affected. Wipidia could not confirm from the available text who carried out the action, under what authority or what notice was given, so no details are reported here. Demolitions of accused persons' property have drawn legal scrutiny in India, and courts have laid down rules about such action, so the specifics of this case will matter once they are clear.

Political leaders condemned the murder widely. Free Press Journal reported that several leaders criticised the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, alleging a breakdown of law and order. The reports reviewed did not include a response from the state government or the Chief Minister, and no statement from the party is available here.

The case touches on two issues at once: the illegal sale of drugs, a long-running concern in Punjab, and the safety of citizens who publicly confront it. Jhota's killing, broadcast during a livestream, has made the question of how activists are protected a political and public flashpoint. Whether any complaints about Kumar's shop had been made before the incident is not stated in the reports reviewed.

Wipidia will update this story if these details are confirmed.

After an arrest in another state, the accused is typically produced before a court for transit remand before being brought to Punjab. This is a general description of the usual process, not a confirmed step in this case. Police are likely to question Kumar about the shooting and the alleged drug sales, and the investigation is expected to examine the Facebook Live footage.

This is a developing story based on reports from Free Press Journal and Republic World as of October 14, 2026, and may be updated.