Punjab Man Who Took Poison In Anti-Drugs Protest Faces 9 Cases Himself

A young man who allegedly swallowed a poisonous substance outside the office of the deputy commissioner in Punjab's Sangrur, in protest against what he alleged was unstoppable sale of drugs in his village, has fallen into more trouble in addition to dealing with the consequences of taking poison.

Jagseer Singh alias Jagga had trooped into the DC office and launched a protest alleging drugs were sold in his village, but nothing was done despite flagging it to the sarpanch and the local administration. Jagga then took poison, after which people took him to hospital.

The incident had sparked a political row with rivals of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government attacking it over the drug menace in the border state. The case took a new turn today with the police announcing that Jagga himself was not exactly someone who stood against drug abuse.

The police in a press conference said Jagga faces at least nine cases that include charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The most recent case was filed against him this year only, the police said.

The information shared by the police is likely to blunt the Opposition's attack on the Bhagwant Mann government in the state where elections are due soon. Earlier, the Congress's Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot had said the incident showed the "pressure and mistreatment" allegedly faced by those speaking against drugs in Punjab.

He said Jagga allegedly received threats and faced harassment after posting videos against drugs and questioned the accountability of the AAP government and administration. BJP leader Parminder Brar also attacked the AAP government, linking the case with two similar incidents in the last one month.

In May, Mann had defended his government's anti-drug campaign, saying it had an 87 per cent conviction rate under the NDPS Act.