Punjab Drug Crisis Politics: Opposition Attacks Bhagwant Mann Government After Man's Death

The death by suicide of a 50-year-old man in Punjab over the government allegedly not doing enough to stop the drug menace has become a huge controversy, with Opposition party leaders demanding an investigation into the matter and accountability. Gulzar Singh, who lived in Sangrur district, struggled with intense pain after he consumed pesticide but managed to speak to people before he died. "Cheema is also responsible for my death," he said, referring to Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, whom he had questioned over the border state's drugs problem during the minister's visit to a village. Thereafter, Gulzar Singh alleged, the police took him aside and put a lot of pressure on him to apologise after he questioned the leader of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. "The sarpanch is also responsible for my death. I had questioned Cheema about drugs. My son takes drugs. My house was sold. I don't have anything and finally now I have consumed poison. The problem of drugs has not been solved anywhere in Punjab," the man said before he died.