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Punjab Man Swallows Poison Over Drug Inaction, Row Erupts

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Jagseer Singh consumed poison outside the Sangrur DC office, alleging drug sales in his village went unchecked. Congress and BJP have targeted the AAP government.

A man from Sangrur district in Punjab swallowed a poisonous substance outside the Deputy Commissioner's office, saying officials had ignored his complaints about drugs being sold in his village. The act, which took place at the district administration's doorstep, has set off a sharp exchange between opposition parties and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.

The man, Jagseer Singh, known locally as Jagga, is a resident of Namol village. He was first moved to the government hospital in Sangrur and then sent on to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala for continued care. According to his account, narcotics were being traded openly in Namol, and repeated appeals to the village Sarpanch and the local administration had brought no meaningful response.

Manjinder Singh, a friend who went with Jagseer to the DC office, said his companion had recorded footage of people allegedly dealing in Chitta and was assaulted afterwards. He said the attack drew no action from authorities. Manjinder added that Jagseer had told him he swallowed Sulphas, a pesticide compound.

Medical staff described the case differently. Dr Iqbalpreet Singh said the patient had taken a poisonous substance, was given initial treatment, and was then referred to the Patiala hospital. The doctor named the substance as "Farnel," rather than the compound Jagseer's friend had mentioned.

Sangrur City Station House Officer Manpreet Singh visited the location but chose not to speak on the matter. He said the young man was still being treated and that more information would follow once his condition allowed.

Congress and BJP corner the AAP government

The episode quickly turned into a political flashpoint. Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who oversees the party's affairs in Punjab, said the incident laid bare the "pressure and mistreatment" that people who speak against drugs face in the state. He said Jagga had been threatened and harassed after uploading videos targeting the trade, and he demanded answers from the AAP government and the administration over their handling of such complaints.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also went after the state government. He noted that the man had attempted to take his own life in Sangrur, the district Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann calls home. Bajwa said Jagga had been intimidated and beaten for raising his voice, had gone to the police, and had received no help. He challenged the government's promise of a "Drug-Free Punjab" and asked how many such cases it would take before the authorities acted seriously on the drug problem and the safety of those who confront it.

BJP leader Parminder Brar tied the case to two other recent episodes in Sangrur involving Gulzar Singh and Mohanjeet Singh. Former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, also of the BJP, said the pattern raised doubts about whether the drug trade was being shielded while those opposing it were being pushed back.

Citing the names of Mohanjeet Singh, Gulzar Singh and now Jagseer Singh, Bittu accused the government of taking the side of drug sellers and treating critics as enemies. He said that rather than pursuing traffickers, the authorities were leaving ordinary residents, village office-holders and anti-drug voices exposed to threats and, in his words, fabricated cases against them.

Bittu argued that if activists were unsafe even in the Chief Minister's own district, the administration's response to the crisis was open to serious question. He said fear and intimidation could not silence people and voiced his support for Jagseer Singh and others confronting the trade.

The latest case has deepened an already bitter political fight over Punjab's drug situation, with opposition figures repeatedly pressing the government on its record and on how grassroots complaints are treated.

None of the claims surrounding Jagseer Singh's case - the drug sales, the assault, the threats, the alleged false cases or police inaction - have so far been verified independently. Investigators and medical records are expected to clarify what happened and the circumstances that led to it.

Anyone in distress can reach the Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health at 9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com, or TISS iCall at 022-25521111, available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.

Jagseer Singh Jagga, Sangrur drug menace, Punjab drug crisis, AAP government Punjab, Drug-Free Punjab, Sachin Pilot, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Chitta drugs Punjab

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