Punjab man swallows poison after 'threats' over drug video, AAP calls him addict

A man from Punjab's Sangrur district attempted suicide by consuming a poisonous substance outside the district administrative complex after claiming that a village sarpanch had threatened him over a video he shared alleging drug supply in his village.

The man, Jagseer Singh, also known as Jagga, is undergoing treatment at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.

The incident triggered a political row, with opposition parties targeting the ruling AAP government after videos of Jagga went viral. The AAP, however, claimed that Jagga was a drug addict with several criminal cases registered against him. Punjab Police also said nine FIRs had been registered against him, including a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

According to Jagga, he had posted a video online showing the alleged supply of "chitta", a term commonly used for synthetic drugs, in his village. He alleged that the village sarpanch threatened him and forced him to delete the video. He also claimed that cameras installed at his house were damaged and that police failed to act despite his complaint.

In another video, Jagga further claimed that the supply of drugs in Namol village was "unabated".

After consuming the poisonous substance outside the district administrative complex, Jagga was initially taken to the Civil Hospital in Sangrur and later shifted to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Police said a case has been registered in connection with the suicide attempt.

The incident comes days after another man, Gulzar Singh, died by suicide in Sangrur. His family had alleged that he was harassed and subjected to casteist slurs after he questioned Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the alleged supply of drugs at an event.

OPPOSITION TARGETS AAP GOVERNMENT

Reacting to Jagga's suicide attempt, BJP MP Tarun Chugh targeted the Bhagwant Mann government and questioned what Jagga's "fault" was.

"His only crime was that he spoke out against the drug mafia. He was threatened and harassed, and when he sought police help, what happened? Police were nowhere to be found, but the sarpanch made his life miserable," Chugh alleged in a post on X.

Chugh also said, "Bhagwant Mann sahib, you are responsible for Jagga Singh's condition today. If you can't stop the drug menace and the mafia, you have no right to remain in office. Punjab will no longer be silent."

Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa also targeted the state government, noting that another man had attempted suicide in Sangrur, the home district of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

"This is deeply disturbing. When a young man who raises his voice against the drug menace allegedly feels so helpless that he attempts to end his own life. What is the reality behind the government's claims of a drug-free Punjab?" Bajwa said in a post on X.

Bajwa added, "Sangrur has witnessed one disturbing incident after another. How many more warnings does the AAP Punjab government need before it takes the drug menace and the safety of those opposing it seriously?"

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia also criticised the AAP government, referring to both the latest incident and Gulzar Singh's death.

"If this is the situation in his constituency, then what must be the situation in the rest of Punjab?" he said.

Majithia alleged that the police were being used to suppress voices raising concerns about drugs and claimed that authorities were attempting to prevent such incidents from coming to light.

AAP, POLICE CITE CRIMINAL RECORD

The Punjab AAP hit back at the opposition, citing Jagga's alleged criminal record.

Punjab AAP General Secretary Baltej Pannu said, "The individual involved is a drug addict and has eight FIRs registered against him. The police are investigating who instigated him."

The party also claimed that Jagga had nine cases registered against him, including one under the NDPS Act.

Sangrur SSP Ravjyot Grewal said nine FIRs had been registered against Jagga, of which he had been convicted in four cases. One of the cases was registered under the NDPS Act, while another case was registered against him this year.

The latest incident has intensified the political focus on allegations of drug supply in Sangrur, with the AAP pointing to Jagga's alleged criminal record while opposition parties have questioned the government's handling of complaints related to the drug menace.