Mansa, October 15, 2026: The fallout from the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota widened on Thursday after Mansa Police suspended Inspector Beant Kaur, Station House Officer of Police Station City-2, with immediate effect.
Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary ordered the suspension on administrative grounds as the police department faces growing scrutiny over the events preceding and following Jhota’s killing.
The departmental action comes two days after Jhota was killed during a confrontation at a medical store in Mansa on October 13. The incident triggered widespread anger and demands from Jhota’s family and supporters for accountability as well as a wider investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Jhota’s family had raised questions over the handling of complaints reportedly made before the killing and demanded action against police officials whom they accused of failing to respond adequately to concerns raised by the activist.
Those claims remain allegations and are subject to departmental examination. Beant Kaur’s suspension on administrative grounds should not by itself be interpreted as a finding of criminal wrongdoing or personal responsibility for Jhota’s death.
Attention has also turned towards a Deputy Superintendent of Police whose role is reportedly being examined by senior police authorities. A recommendation for further departmental examination or action has been reported, but no final order suspending the DSP had been officially confirmed at the time of publication.
The distinction is important because the SHO’s suspension has already been ordered, while the proposed action involving the DSP remains under consideration and will depend on a decision by the competent police authorities.
Meanwhile, the criminal investigation into Jhota’s killing is continuing separately from the departmental proceedings involving police officers.
Police have arrested the principal accused identified in the shooting case and are examining the role of other individuals who may have been connected with the events surrounding the incident. Investigators are also reviewing digital material, witness statements and other evidence as they reconstruct the sequence of events.
Jhota had become a prominent voice in Mansa for his campaigns against the alleged illegal sale of intoxicating substances. His killing sparked protests across the district and led to calls for a Punjab-wide bandh on October 15 by his family and organisations supporting the demand for justice.
The family and members of the action committee have maintained that their concerns extend beyond the immediate shooting and include questions over how earlier complaints and information provided by Jhota were handled.
Police authorities have said that any officer found responsible for negligence during the departmental examination will face action according to service rules and the findings of the inquiry.
The suspension of the City-2 SHO marks the first major administrative action against a police officer following Jhota’s killing. Further developments are expected as both the murder investigation and the internal police review continue.
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