‘Even if they hide in Pataal, we will track them down’: Amit Shah on Punjab drug-linked murders; Watch Video
Babushahi Bureau
Ludhiana (Punjab), October 20, 2026: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday vowed that those involved in the murders of people who fought against drugs in Punjab would be tracked down and brought to justice, “even if they hide in the deepest depths of the earth”, while urging Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to hand over two more cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Addressing the Vijayadashami Mahotsav in Ludhiana, Shah said the families of three people who had lost their lives while fighting against drugs were seeking justice. He said the anguish and questions of the bereaved families had deeply affected him during his visit to three places in Punjab.
“Once these cases are handed over to the CBI, no matter how powerful the person involved in these murders may be, even if they hide in the deepest depths of the earth, the Modi government will track them down and put them behind bars,” Shah said.
The Union Home Minister said Chief Minister Mann had handed over one murder investigation to the CBI earlier in the day. He urged the Punjab government to transfer the investigations into the other two cases as well, saying the families concerned were also demanding the same.
Shah added that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would approach the court seeking the transfer of the remaining investigations to the CBI. He expressed confidence that justice would prevail.
During his Punjab visit, Shah met the families of Bikramjit Singh in Gurdaspur, Gulzar Singh in Sangrur and Parwinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. He said their accounts of the drug trade and the circumstances surrounding the deaths had revealed a deeply disturbing situation.
Jhota was shot dead on October 13 during a confrontation with a medical store owner over the alleged sale of addictive substances. He later succumbed to his injuries, triggering protests and demands for action.
Shah also reiterated his commitment to eliminating drug trafficking from Punjab, declaring that the state would be freed from the drug trade by December 31, 2029.
“On the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, I make this solemn pledge: by December 31, 2029, we will free the entire state of Punjab from the drug trade,” he said.
The Home Minister’s remarks put the spotlight on the demand for CBI investigations into the three cases and the broader challenge of tackling drug trafficking in Punjab.