Punjab villager death: Congress leaders stage demonstration against Minister Harpal Cheema

Congress members in Punjab organized a demonstration in Chandigarh on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, targeting Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the death of Dalit man Gulzar Singh. The protest turned confrontational as police deployed water cannons and arrested several party leaders, among them AICC general secretary in‑charge of Punjab Sachin Pilot and opposition leader Partap Singh Bajwa.

The rally was sparked by Singh’s suicide on September 7 in Dirba, Sangrur district, which his family and opposition allege resulted from caste‑based harassment after he questioned Cheema about drug availability in the area. Authorities have filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and have charged five individuals under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for abetment of suicide. A video purportedly showing Singh’s final moments, in which he mentions Cheema, circulated online, intensifying calls for an FIR and a thorough probe.

The incident has heightened political tension in Punjab, with Congress demanding Cheema’s resignation and that of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while accusing the AAP government of neglecting Dalit grievances. Pilot, on his first visit to the state as the party’s in‑charge, framed Singh’s death as evidence of systemic failures, urging the administration to address the alleged caste discrimination. Helpline Tele MANAS (14416) was highlighted for distressed individuals seeking assistance.