New Delhi/Sangrur, Sep 8: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday demanded the immediate resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema after the reported death of a Dirba constituency villager who had publicly raised the issue of synthetic drugs.
Party calls for criminal probe under BNS and SC/ST Act
At a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia urged that an FIR be registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alleging abetment of suicide by local leaders of the ruling party. He also asked for action under the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, noting that the deceased belonged to a Scheduled Caste.
According to media reports shown by Bhatia at the briefing, the deceased has been identified as Gulzar Singh, a 47-year-old daily wager from Toor Banjara village in the Dirba assembly segment of Sangrur district. Gulzar reportedly consumed poison after he was allegedly pressured by local ruling-party leaders to apologise for raising concerns about the supply of chitta — a colloquial term for synthetic drugs — during a public meeting addressed by Cheema on September 6.
Allegations and evidence presented
Bhatia said the BJP showed video footage and that, prior to his death, Gulzar named those who had threatened him for questioning the minister. The party demanded that all individuals named be booked for abetment of suicide under BNS.
“When the protector turns the predator, he has no right to remain in office. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must immediately resign from his post,”
he said, adding that Cheema should also step down forthwith.
Medical and procedural details in reports
Media accounts cited by the BJP indicate that Gulzar was first taken to a civil hospital in Sangrur and then referred to Govt Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. As his condition deteriorated, he was moved to a private facility in Sangrur and finally admitted to DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, where he died on Monday night.
Local reports said police have registered a case and arrested four people, including two panchayat members; the BJP spokesperson asserted that further legal action is necessary against those who allegedly coerced Gulzar.
Reaction from state authorities
Neither the Aam Aadmi Party nor the Punjab government has issued a response to the BJP’s allegations as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the party statement at the press conference. The BJP asked that the state machinery ensure a probe under the BNS sections dealing with abetment of suicide and consider the applicability of atrocity law provisions.
Context and local impact
The episode highlights two sensitive, overlapping issues in Punjab: the continuing problem of synthetic drug abuse in rural areas and the political tensions that can follow direct public questioning of elected representatives. Dirba — part of Sangrur district — has been in the public eye over agricultural and rural concerns in recent years, making allegations of heavy-handedness by local leaders politically contentious.
- Key demands made by the BJP: resignation of Bhagwant Mann and Harpal Cheema; FIR under BNS for abetment of suicide; registration of a case under SC/ST Act.
- Reported victim: Gulzar Singh, 47, resident of Toor Banjara in Dirba constituency.
- Reported sequence: public questioning of minister about drug supply → alleged pressure to apologise by local AAP leaders → Gulzar consumed poison and later died in hospital.
| Item | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Victim | Gulzar Singh, 47, daily wager |
| Location | Toor Banjara village, Dirba, Sangrur district |
| Allegation | Pressure by local AAP leaders to apologise after questioning Minister Cheema on chitta |
| Legal actions sought | FIR under BNS for abetment of suicide; action under SC/ST Act |
The BJP framed the case as an indication of alleged impunity by local ruling-party functionaries and demanded immediate political accountability. The party also asked for a criminal probe to establish responsibility in the sequence of events that preceded the man’s death.
As the matter develops, further official statements and police records will be necessary to corroborate the specific claims shown by the BJP at its press conference and to determine whether additional charges, including those under the SC/ST Act, are warranted.
Gurpreet Kaur
