The body of slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota who was shot dead on October 13 has been brought to PGIMER Chandigarh for post-mortem on Friday after his family agreed to it, ending their 22-day agitation following a meeting with Punjab government representatives.
The body had lain which in the mortuary of the Mansa Civil Hospital in for over three weeks, was shifted to the PGIMER in an ambulance late Thursday night.
Speaking to reporters, Bhim Singh father of the activist at the PGIMER on Friday said that the family will head back to Mansa where the last rites will be held either on Friday or Saturday.
A joint action committee seeking justice for Jhota had sought the release of two of its arrested members, among other demands.
The arrested members, including Lakhvir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, were released from the Nabha district jail on Thursday evening.
The breakthrough came on Wednesday after a three-week deadlock when Jhota's family and members of Action Committee held a five-hour meeting with representatives of Punjab government including Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian.
The state government agreed to release the protesters and withdraw the cases registered against them and assured compensation of Rs 2 crore to Jhota's family and an employment for his wife.
On October 13, Palvinder Singh Jhota was shot dead outside a pharmacy in Mansa while streaming Facebook live. The pharmacy owner Ashwani Kumar opened fire on Jhota upong being questioned over the sale of addicitive drugs to an elderly citizen. Ashwami Kumar was later arrested in Salasar, Rajasthan.
The incident had triggered a political storm in Punjab which bound for polls next year. Opposition parties stepped up their attack Punjab government and the joint action committe comprising various organisations have been demanding resignations of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Punjab Police DGP Gaurav Yadav.
An SHO, a DSP and a drug inspector were suspended in connection with the case.
Leaders such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress’ Sachin Pilot, Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon, had met Jhota's family.
Agriculture Minister Khudian was the first AAP leader to visit Jhota’s family on Tuesday evening.