Parvinder Jhota killing: Deadlock over post-mortem continues as family seeks Mansa SSPs transfer, firm on CM, DGPs resignation demand

PTC News Desk: The deadlock over Parvinder Jhota's post-mortem and cremation continues even as 12 days after his killing as the family remains adamant over the transfer of Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary, refusing to attend any further meetings in his presence. 

The action committee and Jhota’s wife, Manpreet Kaur, had on Friday remained firm on their key demands, including the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav, despite the government giving a written response agreeing to fulfil several other demands.

Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, has now questioned the functioning of Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary. He alleged that the police could also have been involved in his son’s murder and demanded the SSP’s immediate transfer. Bhim Singh alleged that the officer responsible for his son’s murder was attending the meetings with the family. He said this caused them distress.

“The officer at whose behest my son was murdered sits in front of us during these meetings. This hurts us. My daughter-in-law and I will not attend meetings with the state government panel as long as the SSP is present,” he said.

He also demanded the immediate dismissal of suspended DSP Harjinder Singh Gill and City-2 police station SHO Beant Kaur from service.

Bhim Singh questioned the recent suspension of some police officials and demanded copies of their suspension orders. He said the action taken so far was not enough and called for a detailed investigation into the role of the officers concerned.

Explaining why the family was demanding the resignations of the Chief Minister and the Director General of Police (DGP), Bhim Singh alleged that his son had been murdered at the Chief Minister’s behest because he feared Jhota could affect the party’s prospects in the upcoming elections.

During the third round of talks on Friday, the government panel handed over a written response listing the demands it had agreed to fulfil. These included a CBI investigation into the murder, which is already underway; a post-mortem examination by a team of senior doctors from PGIMER; security for the family; the installation of a statue of Jhota in Mansa; and action against medical stores found violating the rules.

However, the family and the action committee refused to allow the post-mortem examination until their main demands — the resignations of the Chief Minister and the DGP — were met. Meanwhile, the CBI, which is investigating the murder, conducted raids at several medical stores in Mansa on Saturday morning. The agency inspected the sale and stock of banned intoxicating drugs at these establishments.

Jhota was allegedly shot at a chemist shop in Mansa on October 13 following a dispute over the alleged sale of intoxicating medicines. His body remains in the mortuary of the Civil Hospital. Four accused — Ashwani, his wife Neelam Rani, his cousin Parveen Garg and an employee named Laddi — have been arrested. The pistol allegedly used in the crime has also been recovered. The accused are currently in CBI custody.