📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Kirti periodical
Crime
Amritsar: Officials Condemn Harsh Action on Chemists After Jhotta Murder
✍️ Amar Ujala · Amritsar
🗓 07 Nov 2026, 06:36 PM
👁 10
Following the Jhotta murder case, local authorities and community leaders in Amritsar have publicly denounced the stringent measures imposed on pharmacy owners.
Amritsar police intensified scrutiny of local chemist shops after the Jhotta murder, seizing stock and imposing new licensing checks. The crackdown was intended to prevent illegal sale of substances that could be misused in violent crimes.
However, the sudden enforcement sparked backlash from the district administration and health officials, who argued that the measures were disproportionate and threatened the supply of essential medicines to residents. They called for a balanced approach that respects legal procedures while safeguarding public health.
Community leaders also voiced concern that the pressure on chemists could drive them into informal markets, undermining the very goal of the operation. The condemnation was voiced in a joint statement released by the Amritsar municipal council and the Punjab Pharmacy Association, urging authorities to review the policy.
The incident highlights the tension between law‑enforcement actions against crime and the need to maintain uninterrupted medical services in the city.
However, the sudden enforcement sparked backlash from the district administration and health officials, who argued that the measures were disproportionate and threatened the supply of essential medicines to residents. They called for a balanced approach that respects legal procedures while safeguarding public health.
Community leaders also voiced concern that the pressure on chemists could drive them into informal markets, undermining the very goal of the operation. The condemnation was voiced in a joint statement released by the Amritsar municipal council and the Punjab Pharmacy Association, urging authorities to review the policy.
The incident highlights the tension between law‑enforcement actions against crime and the need to maintain uninterrupted medical services in the city.