Four days after the killing of an anti-drug activist, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Vijay Singla visited a local hospital in Mansa on Saturday to inquire about the condition of two individuals injured in a firing incident that also claimed the life of activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. The visit was met with strong opposition from a group of Nihangs and other protesters.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the protesters confronted Singla as he was leaving the Civil Hospital premises. The group reportedly chased the MLA, issuing warnings against any future visits and raising slogans against the AAP government and the local legislator.
Mansa Deputy Commissioner Navjot Kaur was present with MLA Singla during his visit, accompanied by a contingent of police personnel. The protest action committee, formed to seek justice for the deceased activist, has previously announced plans to picket the residences and offices of AAP MLAs and ministers, and to affix condemnation letters outside their properties.
A continuous protest has been underway at the main gate of the Civil Hospital since the incident occurred on Tuesday. The MLA gained access to the hospital through a gate leading to the emergency ward, while the primary protest site is located near the Deputy Commissioner’s residence on the Barnala-Sirsa road.
Following his interaction with the injured, MLA Singla stated that medical professionals informed him that one of the victims required surgery, while the other’s injuries necessitated only a plaster cast. The remaining two individuals who sustained injuries in the incident are receiving treatment at hospitals in Bathinda and Ludhiana.
Protesters have levied allegations against the MLA, suggesting that Ashwani, the primary suspect in the murder case, received patronage from Singla. Singla has vehemently denied these accusations, stating, “He (Ashwani) never came to us, and we never entertained him. I challenge anyone to show if I had a meeting or conversation with him in the past five years.”
MLA Singla is reportedly the first leader from the ruling AAP to visit the injured individuals. There have been no reports of any ruling party leaders meeting with Jhota’s family. The protesters have also reportedly prevented AAP leaders from entering the designated protest areas.
Parvinder Singh Jhota was allegedly shot and killed by Ashwani Kumar at his chemist shop in Mansa on Tuesday. The incident, which was reportedly captured on a Facebook live session, is understood to have stemmed from a dispute related to drug-related activities.
In response to the ongoing situation, Jhota’s family has stated their refusal to proceed with the last rites until their demands are met by the authorities.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
