📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Dausaanoop
Crime
Main Accused in Punjab Anti‑Drug Activist Murder Arrested in Salasar, Rajasthan
✍️ Amar Ujala · Jaipur
🗓 14 Oct 2026, 01:31 PM
👁 11
Police in Salasar, Churu district, Rajasthan have detained Ashwini Kumar, the prime suspect in the killing of anti‑drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa, Punjab.
Police in Salasar, a town in Churu district of Rajasthan, arrested Ashwini Kumar on Tuesday, identifying him as the main accused in the murder of anti‑drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa, Punjab. The arrest was made after a coordinated operation by Rajasthan police, who tracked the suspect to his residence in the Salasar area.
Parvinder Singh Jhota, known for his campaigns against narcotics in Punjab's Mansa district, was shot dead in early June. Local authorities in Punjab named Ashwini Kumar as the prime suspect based on forensic evidence and eyewitness statements linking him to the crime scene.
Rajasthan police said the suspect attempted to flee the state shortly after the killing, prompting a multi‑state manhunt. Using vehicle registration data and mobile phone tracking, investigators located Kumar in Salasar and apprehended him without incident. The suspect is now in judicial custody and will be handed over to Punjab police for further interrogation.
The investigation remains ongoing, with officials from both states cooperating to uncover any wider network involved in the murder. No additional arrests have been reported so far.
Parvinder Singh Jhota, known for his campaigns against narcotics in Punjab's Mansa district, was shot dead in early June. Local authorities in Punjab named Ashwini Kumar as the prime suspect based on forensic evidence and eyewitness statements linking him to the crime scene.
Rajasthan police said the suspect attempted to flee the state shortly after the killing, prompting a multi‑state manhunt. Using vehicle registration data and mobile phone tracking, investigators located Kumar in Salasar and apprehended him without incident. The suspect is now in judicial custody and will be handed over to Punjab police for further interrogation.
The investigation remains ongoing, with officials from both states cooperating to uncover any wider network involved in the murder. No additional arrests have been reported so far.