1 hr ago
Punjab Man Dies By Suicide After Raising Drug Issue
Gulzar Singh was a 50-year-old man from Sangrur district in Punjab.
He was worried that drugs were harming his son and other people in his village.
He said he questioned Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the drug problem.
Before he died after consuming pesticide, Singh said the minister and a village sarpanch were responsible for his situation.
His son said the sarpanch became angry when Singh alleged that drugs were sold openly.
Opposition parties called for an investigation into the death.
They also criticized the Punjab government for not doing enough about drugs.
Government figures show that many more people went to state-run treatment centres in 2025 than in 2024.
Gulzar Singh, 50, died after consuming pesticide in Punjab’s Sangrur district.
Before his death, Singh blamed Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and a village sarpanch.
Singh’s family alleged he faced pressure after questioning the drug problem and saying drugs were openly sold.
Opposition parties demanded an investigation, accountability, and Cheema’s removal from the state cabinet.
Admissions to government deaddiction centres rose from 9,577 in 2024 to 25,290 in 2025.
- Who
- Gulzar Singh, a 50-year-old man from Sangrur district, and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema were central to the reported incident.
- What
- Singh died after consuming pesticide and, before his death, blamed Cheema and a village sarpanch while raising concerns about drug abuse.
- Where
- Sangrur district, Punjab.
- When
- The death occurred days after Singh raised the drug issue; the article gives no exact date.
- Why
- Singh said he was distressed by his son’s drug use and the wider drug problem, while opposition leaders linked the case to alleged government inaction.
Key facts
- Deceased
- Gulzar Singh, aged 50
- Location
- Sangrur district, Punjab
- Reported cause of death
- Consumption of pesticide followed by death by suicide
- Official named by Singh
- Harpal Singh Cheema, Punjab Finance Minister
- Treatment admissions in 2024
- 9,577 admissions at government deaddiction centres
- Treatment admissions in 2025
- 25,290 admissions, an increase of over 164 percent
- Admissions by July
- More than 14,000 patients had been admitted in 2025 by July
Quotes
Ravneet Singh Bittu
BJP leader commenting on the reported suicide and allegations against the minister.
“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.”
NDTV
“Gulzar Singh questioned Cheema about the drug menace in an effort to save his son. He was allegedly driven to suicide and, before his death, held the minister responsible.”
NDTV
Sources
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