Punjab bandh LIVE: Statewide shutdown over activist Jhota's murder, some schools shut; Patiala toll made free
Punjab bandh LIVE updates: Anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota's father gave a Punjab bandh call on Thursday with political parties, including the Congress, Akali Dal, BJP, extending support to it. The family has also refused to cremate the body.
Punjab bandh LIVE updates: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday vowed the strictest punishment for those involved in the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, as outrage over the daylight killing spilled into a second day and tensions remained high in Mansa town....Read More
Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, launched a scathing attack on the administration and called for a Punjab Bandh on October 15. The demand received support from opposition parties, farmer unions and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Hours after Jhota was shot dead in Mansa, the police on Wednesday arrested the accused, a pharmacy owner, Ashwani Kumar, from Rajasthan even as anger against the killing spilled onto the streets, with mob setting the chemist’s shop ablaze and authorities razing a portion of his house.
Jhota’s father gave a Punjab bandh call on Thursday with political parties, including the Congress, Akali Dal, BJP, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, and farmers’ body Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers’ unions and state government employees’ unions extending support to it. The family has also refused to cremate the body.
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- 15 Oct 2026, 11:23:11 AM IST
Patiala news LIVE: Bathinda-Chandigarh National Highway blocked
Patiala news LIVE: The Bathinda-Chandigarh National Highway has been blocked near Dhareri Jattan toll plaza in Patiala.
(With inputs from HT correspondent)
- 15 Oct 2026, 11:10:48 AM IST
Patiala news LIVE: Near-complete bandh in city
Patiala news LIVE: A near complete bandh is being witnessed in Patiala on Wednesday following a call given by a committee over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, with markets remaining largely closed and normal life affected across parts of the district.
Farmer unions and various other organisations joined the bandh, blocking roads at several locations. The Patiala-Sirhind road was among the key stretches blocked by farmer unions, disrupting vehicular movement and causing inconvenience to the commuters.
(With inputs from HT correspondent)
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- 15 Oct 2026, 11:01:07 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Ensuring emergency services stay unaffected, says Bathinda Police
Punjab bandh LIVE: Bathinda Range DIG Harjeet Singh said on Thursday that efforts are being made to ensure emergency services are not hit by the statewide shutdown call.
"We are ensuring that emergency services are not affected. We are also in touch with the protesters. We will ensure that normal life is not affected...The main accused has been arrested, one more individual has also been arrested along with him. They will be produced before the Court soon," he said, speaking to ANI news agency.
- 15 Oct 2026, 10:57:27 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Heavy security in Mansa
#WATCH | Punjab: Heavy security deployment in Mansa, in the wake of the statewide shutdown called today over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. https://t.co/v8hB9ZwBUw
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2026Punjab bandh LIVE: Visuals of heavy security deployment in Mansa, in the wake of the statewide shutdown called today over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
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- 15 Oct 2026, 10:51:15 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Toll plaza in Patiala made free amid statewide shutdown
VIDEO | Punjab: Toll plaza in Patiala made toll-free as normal life gets disrupted after a state observes Punjab Bandh to protest the daylight murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) https://t.co/lNnJXjc4Uj
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 15, 2026Punjab bandh LIVE: Toll plaza in Patiala has reportedly been made toll-free as normal life gets disrupted due to the state observes Punjab bandh to protest the daylight murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
- 15 Oct 2026, 10:48:02 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Local markets closed in Ferozepur | Visuals
VIDEO | Punjab: Local markets and shops remain closed and schools shift to online classes in several areas including Ferozepur as the state observes a bandh demanding a CBI probe into the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 15, 2026Punjab bandh LIVE: Visuals from Ferozepur, where local markets and shops remain closed and schools shift to online classes as the state observes a bandh demanding a CBI probe into the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa.
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- 15 Oct 2026, 10:45:34 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Markets, schools shut in parts of state
Markets and private schools in parts of Punjab remained shut on Thursday in view of a bandh called over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
Jhota's family had given the call for 'Punjab Bandh' with support from political parties including Congress, Akali Dal, BJP and Akali Dal Waris Punjab De; farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers' unions; and state government employees' unions.
Following the bandh call, shops and markets remained shut at several places, including Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur and Mansa. However, emergency services remained operational.
Many private schools in Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Moga and Mansa declared a holiday in view of the shutdown call, according to a PTI news agency report.
Various farmer groups have extended support to the bandh.
In Amritsar, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee staged a demonstration against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government on Thursday morning.
- 15 Oct 2026, 10:30:32 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Who was Parvinder Singh Jhota and what was his history with his murderer?
Punjab bandh LIVE: Known for raising his voice against drug abuse and the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, Parvinder Singh Jhota was shot in broad daylight at a busy marketplace on Tuesday.
Ashwani Kumar, the medical store owner who allegedly opened fire on Jhota after he questioned him for selling addictive drugs to an elderly man, was taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan, police said.
Bathinda Range DIG Harjit Singh said an FIR had been registered against two people. "Police had arrested an associate who helped Kumar flee on Tuesday night," he added.
Kumar, was garlanded with shoes and paraded in the market by Jhota and his supporters in 2023, after a man was caught with banned capsules allegedly procured from the latter’s medical shop, HT earlier reported. Back then, an FIR was registered against Kumar, while Jhota was booked for assault and trespassing.
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- 15 Oct 2026, 10:23:51 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Angry mob torches accused's shop, authorities bulldoze house
Punjab bandh LIVE: Hours after anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, alias Jhota, was shot dead in Mansa, the police on Wednesday arrested the accused, a pharmacy owner, from Rajasthan even as anger against the killing spilled onto the streets, with mob setting the chemist’s shop ablaze and authorities razing a portion of his house.
Jhota’s father gave a Punjab bandh call on Thursday with political parties, including the Congress, Akali Dal, BJP, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, and farmers’ body Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers’ unions and state government employees’ unions extending support to it. The family has also refused to cremate the body.
Known for raising his voice against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, Jhota was shot in broad daylight at a busy marketplace on Tuesday. Read full report here
- 15 Oct 2026, 10:21:35 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE: Heavy security deployment in Amritsar
#WATCH | Punjab: Heavy security deployment in Amritsar city in light of a statewide shutdown call today over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. https://t.co/1VVBkiqTF2
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2026Punjab bandh LIVE: Heavy security deployment in Amritsar city in light of a statewide shutdown call today over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa.
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- 15 Oct 2026, 10:18:37 AM IST
Punjab bandh LIVE updates: Statewide shutdown over anti-drug activist's murder
Punjab bandh LIVE updates: Murdered Punjab anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota’s father gave a Punjab bandh call on Thursday with political parties, including the Congress, Akali Dal, BJP, Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, and farmers’ body Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers’ unions and state government employees’ unions extending support to it.
The family has also refused to cremate the body.