Amit Shah to visit Punjab on October 20 amid drug deaths, political row

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Punjab on October 20, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu said on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Mr. Bittu, a former Union minister, announced the visit in a post on X but did not disclose the itinerary.

Party sources said Mr. Shah is likely to visit Mansa and Sangrur to meet the families of two men who died in incidents linked to the State’s drug problem. There was no official confirmation of the schedule.

In his post, Mr. Bittu said Punjab was battling “the grave menace of drugs” and needed “decisive action, strong leadership and a firm resolve” to protect its youth and future. He alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had “lost its mandate” before completing its term. He appealed to Punjabis to support Mr. Shah and the BJP’s mission to make Punjab drug-free.

The announcement comes amid political attention on two deaths. On October 16, Mr. Shah said the Centre would seek the Punjab government’s response over the death of a father who allegedly consumed poison under pressure in Dirba, and the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa.

Jhota was shot dead on October 13 in a busy market in Mansa. Ashwani Kumar, a medical store owner who allegedly fired at Jhota when he was questioned over the sale of addictive drugs to an elderly man, was arrested later. Jhota’s family and supporters have been staging a protest in Mansa seeking justice. His body has not yet been cremated.

Gulzar Singh, a resident of Dirba in Sangrur district, died on September 7. His family has alleged that he consumed poison after being harassed and subjected to casteist slurs for questioning Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the supply of drugs in his locality.

The BJP has increasingly highlighted the drug issue in Punjab, where Assembly elections are due in 2027. The party’s “Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra”, which began on September 18, culminated in Jalandhar on September 30 with a rally addressed by Mr. Shah.

During that visit, Mr. Shah accused the AAP government of allowing the trade in “chitta”, or synthetic drugs, to flourish openly. He said those involved in the drug trade would be sent to jail and called on voters to remove the AAP government. He promised that the BJP would eradicate the drug menace within two years if it came to power, and make Punjab drug-free by December 2029. He also met some families affected by the drug problem.

Mr. Shah’s October 20 visit will be his second to Punjab in 20 days. The BJP’s campaign has sought to make the drug issue central to the political contest in the State. The visit comes as the party seeks to keep public attention on the drug problem and on the families of those who have died.