Centre grants X-category security cover to families of Punjab anti-drug activists

Protection offered to kin of deceased Dalit daily-wager in Dirba and Mansa activist following Union home minister Amit Shah’s review of targeted violence in state.

Sangrur: The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has assigned X-category security cover to the families of two anti-drug victims in Punjab, following an assessment of heightened security threats.

The house of a Dalit daily-wage worker, who died on September 7, a day after confronting Punjab finance minister Harpal Cheema over the drug problem during a public event at Toor Banjara village in Dirba. (HT Photo)

Under the protection scheme, X-category cover—comprising three security personnel per protectee—has been provided to the wife of a Dalit daily-wage worker who died after confronting Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema during a public event in Toor Banjara village in Dirba on September 6.

Separate X-category security details have also been deployed for the parents of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was shot dead in Mansa district while confronting a local chemist selling habit-forming drugs on October 13.

Sangrur BJP leader Daman Bajwa said that the security teams are en route and will be stationed with the families later today.

Dirba deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Rupinder Kaur Bajwa confirmed that local authorities have received verbal communication from a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) official regarding the allocation of X-category security for the deceased worker’s wife.

The security allocation comes 10 days after Union home minister Amit Shah’s October 20 visit to Toor Banjara village in Sangrur district. Shah met the family of the deceased Dalit daily-wage worker, who died on September 7 after allegedly consuming pesticide. According to the family, he was subjected to harassment and casteist abuse after publicly questioning Cheema regarding unchecked drug sales in their village a day earlier.

Shah also visited the home of 40-year-old anti-drug campaigner Bikramjit Singh at Marhi Pannwan village near Sri Hargobindpur in Batala sub-division of Gurdaspur district. Bikramjit was hacked to death when an armed group of 10 to 15 men ambushed him and two companions, Nishan Singh and Gurmukh Singh, after the trio opposed narcotics trade operating in their neighbourhood.