Electrocution marks clear on anti-drug Sikh activist tortured by Punjab Police

A popular anti-drug Sikh activist was pictured with visible burn marks from electrocution torture, after his arrest by Punjab Police last week.

The disturbing image went viral on 17th July, showing Parvinder Singh Jhota in a disheveled state, clutching onto his dastaar (Sikh turban) under his arm, outside a Mansa police station. In the picture Singh’s fingers are blackened from where his fingers were attached to a device to electrocute him, a well known torture technique of Punjab Police.

Parvinder Singh Jhota (also spelled Jhotta or Jhote) was arrested by local police in his home city of Mansa (Mansa district) on the morning of 14th July at his home. Footage of the arrest went viral on 15th July, depicting the Punjab Police force’s heavy-handed tactics, which included aggression towards the elderly parents of Jhota. Jhota was not shown any official documents detailing the reason for his arrest.

Jhota, a father and respected community figure, was arrested for his exposure of Panjab’s drug dealers who were working openly in Mansa. Jhota publicly spoke on social media of police impunity given to dealers working in Pharmacies. On 12th July it was reported (with video proof which has now been removed of Facebook) that Jhota confronted one of these drug dealers, Ashwin Kumar, found selling illegal non-prescription drugs to local addicts. With police ignoring requests to make arrests of such drug dealers, Jhota took up the issue himself and exposed the drug dealer, humiliating him by walking him through the street with a garland of shoes around his neck. Local journalists have also found evidence that Jhota had previously made an official report of crime to the police about Kumar, which was ignored.

*Note- The Sikh Press Association does not share links to Indian media outlets, due to their regular regurgitation of anti-Sikh propaganda. Indian media is ranked 161st of 180 countries in the world for press freedom.

Two days after the incident, dozens of Punjab Police officers raided Jhota’s home to arrest him. Six of his supporters were also imprisoned at the same time. Police have since claimed Jhota and his supporters are under arrest for assault and more around public disturbance. Following his arrest, Jhota’s father who was able to speak to him detailed his son’s account of being tortured. You can see the interview with Parvinder Singh’s father here, posted by respected activist and Sikh social commentator Dr Prabhjot Singh (@Free5ab).

Protests have been made across Punjab, with one attended by thousands taking place today (21st July) in Mansa.

Parvinder Singh Jhota’s Facebook page (which has 40,000 followers) can be seen here, showing mainly his efforts to speak against drug dealing in Punjab. His social media talks on the topic have seen him become a widely respected activist.

The link between Panjab Police officers and the illegal drug trade practiced in and through the state has been a particularly pertinent issue ever since the #PunjabUnderSiege operation from March-April this year.

The chief target of the operation was Bhai Amritpal Singh, head of social reform group Waris Punjab De. At the time of his arrest Bhai Amritpal Singh was leading the Khalsa Vaheer campaign, which was based on challenging the drug epidemic in Punjab, including the impunity of drug dealers.

As the popularity of the Khalsa Vaheer movement grew, so did Police targeting of the WPD team, leading to the famous incident where Bhai Amritpal Singh led an effort to free Sikhs being detained and tortured at Ajnala Police station.

A Police officer involved in the imprisonment of British Sikh political prisoner Jagtar Singh Johal was also relieved of his duties due to his involvement with drug mafias becoming too well known. Officer Raj Jit Singh Hundal remains under investigation. However, often investigations into Police officer crimes can be dragged on for decades, allowing guilty parties to remain free, often until enough time has passed for the case to fall apart. Just last week Hundal was given a “reprieve” according to Indian media, allowing the corrupt police officer more time free, with his trial yet to even start.

Jhota remains imprisoned whilst under investigation. No update on the status of the drug dealer Ashwin Kumar, whom Jhota’s efforts to expose caused all of this, has yet been given.