Chandigarh, Oct 14 (PTI) 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, officials said.
An excavator razed the front portion of Kumar’s residence amid heavy police presence, after information was received about unauthorised construction on the premises, a senior police officer said.
Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot in broad daylight in a busy marketplace in Mansa 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.
Ashwani has been arrested 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 in 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 AAP 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. PTI CHS ARI
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