Tensions in Mansa as mob sets afire shop of accused in activist Jhota's murder; house bulldozed

Authorities demolished part of medical store owner Ashwani Kumar's house in Mansa, Punjab, after he was arrested for fatally shooting an anti-drug activist.

Chandigarh, The district authorities in Punjab's Mansa on Wednesday demolished a portion of the house belonging to Ashwani Kumar, the medical store owner who fatally shot anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh alias Jhota in broad daylight on Tuesday, while a mob vandalised and set ablaze his shop, officials said.

Smoke billowing from accused Ashwani Kumar's shop (L) and his house being demolished by the administration (R) (Screengrab from X/@ANI)

Dramatic scenes unfolded in the area as an excavator razed the front portion of Kumar's residence in Veer Nagar, even as an angry mob, including some 'Nihangs', ripped apart his store amid heavy police presence, with a large crowd filming and cheering the act.

The mob vandalised Kumar's chemist store, where Jhota was shot, with sticks and stones, with the crowd raising slogans against the accused as the structure came apart brick by brick, before it was set ablaze.

People could be seen climbing the boundary walls of the nearby houses to catch a glimpse of the demolition, as the mob went berserk amid heavy police deployment.

The authorities maintained that the demolition work followed information about unauthorised construction on the premises.

Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot in broad daylight in the busy marketplace on Tuesday.

Kumar, the medical store owner, opened fire on Jhota and his companions, allegedly after they questioned him for selling addictive drugs to an elderly man. The incident took place while the activist was hosting a Facebook Live.

The accused has been taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan, police said.

The shooting left the town simmering with tension as the activist's supporters vandalised the medical shop, while Jhota's family refused to cremate his body as a mark of protest.

Police on Tuesday arrested an associate of Kumar who helped him escape.

The murder drew widespread condemnation from the opposition leaders, who criticised the A government for a "breakdown" in law and order, and the "Jungle Raj" prevailing in the state.

They also said that Jhota's killing raised serious questions about the safety of those who raise their voice against the drug menace in Punjab.

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