BJP leaders protest over 20-year-old’s alleged drug overdose death in Jalandhar

A day after a 20-year-old’s death due to an alleged drug overdose, BJP leaders Sushil Rinku and Sheetal Angural held a massive dharna at Basti Peerdaad in Jalandhar. The protest demanded registration of an FIR against peddlers responsible for selling drugs to the youth.

The deceased, Paras Bhagat, got addicted to drugs six months ago after joining a local gym, where peddlers lured him into buying intoxicant tablets. Despite being taken to multiple hospitals, his life could not be saved.

The BJP leaders alleged that this was not an isolated incident, citing five to seven deaths due to drugs in the Jalandhar West constituency. They claimed that drugs were being sold with impunity, and deaths were occurring in various areas, including Bhargo Camp and Basti Danishmandam.

The police have not formally acknowledged the cause of Paras’ death as a drug overdose, stating that a doctor’s report is required to confirm this. However, BJP leaders demanded that the death be recognised as a drug-related incident.

Basti Bawa Khel police station SHO Rajesh Thakur said, “The youth had been sick for about a week and his death isn’t due to drug overdose. He might have been an addict though. We are looking into the case and anyone found supplying drugs to youth will not be spared.”

ADCP Sukhwinder Singh pacified the protesters, assuring them of action against the peddlers. Sheetal Angural had been highlighting the drug issue on his Facebook lives, citing seven to eight deaths in the Basti areas over the past 10 days.