Bathinda: Grieving the killing of his son, anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh Jhota, ex-serviceman Bhim Singh, 72, has vowed to carry on his fight against drug peddlers, saying he would not rest until those responsible were brought to justice and Punjab’s youth were protected from drugs.“I am still alive and pledge to fight against the drug peddlers as my son was waging a war against them. I am also ready to take a bullet if the peddlers are not taken to task,” Bhim Singh said at Mansa civil hospital on Tuesday, where his son’s body had been kept after he was shot dead on Monday.Jhota was allegedly shot by a medical store owner, identified by police as Ashwani Kumar.Bhim Singh, who had served in the Indian Army, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to ensure the safety of his two grandchildren, saying the family had received no protection despite threats to his son.“The state govt failed to protect my son and I appeal to the PM and HM to protect my grandchildren as they too may be at risk,” he said, demanding that the investigation be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).Bhim Singh alleged that his son had faced threats for fearlessly speaking out against drug peddlers and medical stores selling habit-forming drugs. He said the family had repeatedly lived with the fear surrounding Jhota’s activism, but the state govt had failed to provide security. “We will continue to fight against drugs. As long as I am alive I will continue fighting against drug peddlers or they may kill me,” he said, vowing to carry forward his son’s struggle.The grieving father also raised slogans against the state govt, chief minister Bhagwant Mann and local MLA Vijay Singla, holding the authorities responsible for failing to protect his son. He endorsed the call for a Punjab bandh on Oct 15 issued by an action committee following the killing.
