Tension Erupts At Cremation Of Punjab Man Who Had Raised Drug Issue, Opposition Attacks AAP Government

Tension erupted at the cremation of 50-year-old Gulzar Singh in Sangrur district after angry family members and local villagers confronted law enforcement authorities. The confrontation stemmed from allegations that police brought Gulzar Singh's body to the cremation grounds under a heavy security deployment without informing the family or granting them an opportunity to perform customary final rites.

The situation deteriorated when anger led to pyre firewood being thrown out of the facility, forcing officers to retrieve the logs to proceed with the ceremony. Family members and eyewitnesses reported that police personnel formed a heavy security cordon inside the premises to restrict access.

"The way the whole cremation ground was guarded by cops, a security cordon was made inside... to keep the villagers and family members away from the dead body," one relative stated, alleging they were denied the chance to complete traditional rituals.

The deadlock was eventually defused after administrative officials held formal talks with the victim's family. Vikram Singh, the deceased's younger brother, confirmed that the family was convinced by official assurances, which included a commitment to provide a government job to a family member. He also clarified that the family had not lodged a direct formal complaint against Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema.

Sangrur Superintendent of Police Devinder Attri maintained that law enforcement acted to maintain law and order. He claimed external miscreants had gathered at the site to provoke a crisis.

The controversy surrounding the cremation follows the death by suicide of Gulzar Singh, who reportedly ingested 'sulphas' (celphos) poison. A resident of Toor Banjara village in minister Cheema's Dirba assembly constituency, Gulzar Singh had earlier confronted the minister at a village gathering, voicing distress over his son's drug addiction and raising concerns regarding the unchecked sale of synthetic drugs ("chitta") in the region. Allegations surfaced that Gulzar Singh subsequently faced intense harassment, intimidation, and pressure from local officials to apologise for the confrontation, driving him to take his own life.

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring reacted with an X post: "When destruction approaches, those in power lose their sense of right and wrong. What happened to Gulzar Singh is deeply shameful. Punjab Police allegedly carried out his cremation against his family's wishes and in haste. He was not even allowed to return home one last time, and his family was denied the right to bid him a dignified farewell. Gulzar Singh was denied justice in life, and even in death, his dignity was taken away. This is not just an insult to one family, it is an insult to the humanity of Punjab."

When destruction approaches, those in power lose their sense of right and wrong.

What happened to Gulzar Singh is deeply shameful. @PunjabPoliceInd allegedly carried out his cremation against his family's wishes and in haste. He was not even allowed to return home one last time,… pic.twitter.com/nHiwG8dSHg

— Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) September 8, 2026

Five individuals have been named in an initial First Information Report (FIR) involving charges of abetment to suicide and harassment. Four suspects, including the local village sarpanch and her husband, have been apprehended by police, while one suspect remains at large. To oversee the ongoing investigation, the Punjab government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) alongside senior police officials.

Concurrently, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) intervened by taking formal cognisance of a complaint submitted by former Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes chairman Rajesh Bagha. The NHRC bench headed by member Priyank Kanoongo issued official notices to Punjab's Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, District Magistrate, and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Sangrur.

It demanded the submission of records, including Gulzar Singh's alleged dying declaration video, the inquest report, post-mortem findings, and all associated case documentation.

In a video recorded prior to his death, Gulzar Singh is learnt to have named Cheema and the local sarpanch. While Opposition political parties have seized upon the video to demand resignations, police officials said they are evaluating all recorded material.

DSP Davinder Singh Attari said the SIT will thoroughly examine the video statement as part of its mandate.