Mansa: The Mansa district administration issued an arms licence to Ashwini Kumar, the accused in the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhotta, despite five police cases being registered against him, according to details cited in a report.
The licence was issued on August 21, 2024, by the additional deputy commissioner, following a recommendation from the district police. Three of the five cases reportedly involved alleged violations of orders issued by the district magistrate.
Kumar allegedly used a licensed firearm to shoot Jhotta at his medical store in Mansa. According to the available details, he held a 7.62 mm pistol and a 12-bore gun under the licence, which was valid from August 21, 2024, to August 20, 2029.
The licence also permitted Kumar to purchase up to 50 cartridges at a time, with an annual limit of 100 cartridges.
Records cited in the report indicate that Mansa’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) recommended the licence on August 9, 2024, under reference number 91/NAL. The recommendation reportedly mentioned all five police cases against Kumar. An FIR registered at Mansa City-2 police station on April 4, 2024, was also cited as the basis for his security concerns.
The circumstances in which the licence was approved, despite the cases on record, have raised questions about the administration’s decision-making process. Whether any political pressure influenced the approval remains a matter for investigation; no such influence has been established.
The case has also prompted scrutiny of how the police assessed Kumar’s background before recommending the licence and how the district administration considered the information available at the time.
