Punjab Man Dies After Suicide Note Blames Minister Over Drug Issue

A 50-year-old man in Punjab's Sangrur district has died after consuming pesticide, an act he linked to the state government's handling of the drug problem. Gulzar Singh, who spoke to people before succumbing, held Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and a local sarpanch responsible for his death.

Singh had reportedly questioned Cheema about the drug trade during a village visit. He alleged that police subsequently pressured him to apologize for challenging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader. In his final statements, Singh said his son was addicted to drugs, his house had been sold, and he had nothing left. He claimed the drug problem remained unsolved across Punjab.

Singh's son stated that the sarpanch reacted angrily after his father alleged that drugs were being sold openly in their village. The incident follows a separate case where a man was allegedly tortured in custody for raising drug abuse concerns at an event attended by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Opposition parties have demanded a thorough investigation and the minister's resignation. The Congress party accused the AAP government of hiding the issue behind advertisements, while Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal questioned the government's inaction. BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu called for Cheema's removal from the cabinet and a case against him.

Government data shows a sharp rise in admissions to state-run deaddiction centres, from 9,577 in 2024 to 25,290 in 2025 — an increase of over 164 percent. More than 14,000 patients had been admitted by July this year, indicating the trend continues.