Drug convict’s ‘suicide bid’ triggers political slugfest in Punjab

A Namol village resident had “consumed a poisonous substance” claiming that after threats he had approached police but no action was taken. He was initially taken to the civil hospital and later shifted to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where he is currently undergoing treatment.

A political slugfest erupted in Punjab after a drug convict’s “suicide bid” outside the Sangrur administrative complex on Sunday, alleging that he was threatened for posting videos on “drug menace in his area.”

While the Opposition targeted the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for “targeting people who are questioning the rampant drug problem in the state”, the government hit back, saying the Congress and the BJP were “playing low-level politics by defending a man who has 9 FIRs registered against him.”

While the Opposition targeted the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for “targeting people who are questioning the rampant drug problem in the state”, the government hit back, saying the Congress and the BJP were “playing low-level politics by defending a man who has 9 FIRs registered against him.”

A Namol village resident had “consumed a poisonous substance” claiming that after threats he had approached police but no action was taken. He was initially taken to the civil hospital and later shifted to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where he is currently undergoing treatment.

The incident comes close on the heels of a ‘suicide’ by a Dalit man in Sangrur on September 7. His family had alleged that he was “harassed and subjected to casteist slurs for questioning state finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on supply of drugs at an event in Dirba.”

Drug mafia ‘spared’, whistleblowers ‘targeted’: BJP

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused the Punjab government of harassing people who raised concerns about drug sales in the state.

“This is a matter of great concern. If our brothers and sisters of Punjab raise the issue of drugs, chief minister Bhagwant Mann does not take action against the mafia or dealers. Instead, action is taken against the person who makes the complaint,” alleged Bhatia.

“He was threatened and harassed, and when he sought police help, what happened? Police were nowhere to be found, but the sarpanch made his life miserable,” BJP Rajya Sabha member Tarun Chugh alleged in a post on X.

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Oppn trying to defame Punjab: AAP

AAP Punjab president and cabinet minister Aman Arora accused the opposition of trying to “defame” the AAP regime without understanding the ground reality. “This low-level politics is shameless and condemnable…opposition leaders are creating a false political narrative,” he said.

“They are rushing to defend a convict while remaining silent on the reality of Namol village, where two panchayats, gurdwara committees, farmers’ organisations and villagers had united against the sale of drugs,” Arora added.

He also appealed to opposition leaders to act responsibly. “My only request to these leaders and these parties is that merely to serve your political interests, do not descend to such a low level of politics that the same fire on which you are cooking your political bread ends up setting Punjab on fire,” he added. The AAP state chief said political leaders should either substantiate their claims or acknowledge that they had misled people and apologise.

Namol block samiti member Sukhbir Singh claimed that the convict was making accusations to “protect himself” in a case arising from an argument with some panchayat members.

AAP, BJP ‘fully exposed’: Pilot

Congress state in-charge Sachin Pilot said the ruling AAP and the BJP both stand “fully exposed” on the issue of drug menace and asserted that the people are looking at his party with the hope of improving their lives.

Leader of Opposition in the assembly Partap Singh Bajwa described the incident as “deeply disturbing”. “How many more warnings does the AAP Punjab government need before it takes the drug menace and the safety of those opposing it seriously?” asked Bajwa in a post on X.

Former chief minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi said, “They (AAP) think they can rule Punjab by suppressing people. But not even the Mughals and the British could do so, nor can anyone else.”