A 50-year-old man in Punjab, Gulzar Singh, died by suicide after accusing the state government of failing to address the drug menace. According to reports, Singh blamed Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and the local sarpanch for his death. The incident has sparked a political controversy, with opposition parties demanding an investigation and Cheema's resignation.

Singh, who lived in Sangrur district, reportedly consumed pesticide before his death and managed to speak to people before he passed away. He accused Cheema of being responsible for his death, stating that he had questioned the minister about the drug problem during a visit to his village. Singh also alleged that the police put pressure on him to apologize after he raised the issue. '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,' Singh said before his death.

Singh's son claimed that the sarpanch became angry after his father alleged that drugs were sold openly in their village. 'The sarpanch got furious and scolded my father,' the son said. The incident follows another case where a man was allegedly subjected to custodial torture by the police for raising the issue of drug abuse at an event attended by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Opposition leaders have called for a thorough investigation into Singh's death and demanded Cheema's resignation. The Congress party accused the AAP government of hiding the drug menace through its advertisements, stating, 'You have this innocent man's blood on your hands.' Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal questioned the AAP government over its response to the drugs issue. BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu said Singh had held Cheema responsible for the tragedy, calling for Cheema's removal from the Council of Ministers and a case against him.

Government data shows a sharp increase in the number of people seeking treatment at state-run deaddiction and rehabilitation centres. Admissions at government deaddiction centres jumped from 9,577 in 2024 to 25,290 in 2025, an increase of over 164 per cent. More than 14,000 patients had already been admitted by July, indicating that the surge has continued this year. However, no official response from Cheema or the AAP government is provided in the evidence.

The incident has raised concerns about the government's handling of the drug menace and the treatment of citizens who raise issues. While opposition parties have called for accountability, the AAP government has not issued a statement addressing the allegations or Singh's death. The case highlights the growing tensions between citizens and authorities over drug-related issues in Punjab, with the potential for further political and social ramifications.