Sangroor: A 46-year-old man died by suicide after consuming poison on Monday after local ruling-party leaders allegedly pressured him to apologise for questioning Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the supply of “chitta”, or synthetic drugs, in his village, his family said.
Gulzar Singh, a resident of Toor Banjara village in minister Cheema’s Dirba assembly constituency, was battling for his life in hospital. He was initially taken to Sangrur civil hospital and referred to Govt Rajindra hospital, Patiala; however, he was again rushed to a private hospital in Sangrur and finally shifted to DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, as his condition worsened, said Lakhvir Singh, general secretary of Krantikari Pendu Mazdur Union Punjab.
Gulzar Singh, who lived in Sangrur district, struggled with intense pain after he consumed pesticide but managed to speak to people before he died.
“Cheema is also responsible for my death,” he said, referring to Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, whom he had questioned over the border state’s drugs problem during the minister’s visit to a village.
Thereafter, Gulzar Singh alleged, the police took him aside and put a lot of pressure on him to apologise after he questioned the leader of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
“The sarpanch is also responsible for my death. I had questioned Cheema about drugs. My son takes drugs. My house was sold. I don’t have anything and finally now I have consumed poison. The problem of drugs has not been solved anywhere in Punjab,” the man said before he died.
Singh’s son said the sarpanch became angry after his father alleged drugs were sold openly in their village. “The sarpanch got furious and scolded my father,” the son said.
Lakhvir, who recorded Gulzar’s statement on his mobile, said that more than two hours were wasted at govt Rajindra hospital as authorities informed them that they lacked some special equipment required for Gulzar’s treatment.
He said, “Gulzar died at DMC on Monday late night. He was survived by three sons including the eldest one addicted to Chitta. The police told us they have registered case and arrested four persons including two members of village Panchayat.
The incident comes just days after a man was allegedly subjected to custodial torture by the police for raising the issue of drug abuse by carrying a black flag at an event that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had attended.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that police pushed Gulzar aside before AAP leaders pressured him to apologise. He termed the suicide a killing and demanded an FIR against minister Cheema.
The opposition has targeted the state administration for failing to eradicate the narcotics trade across the region. Demands have been formally raised seeking the resignation of the Chief Minister, dismissal of the concerned cabinet minister, and the registration of a First Information Report invoking penal provisions for abetment of suicide alongside statutory protections for marginalized communities.
