Chandigarh, October 23
The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis has taken suo motu cognisance of the murder of Ajay Kumar in Abohar and sought a report from the Punjab Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP). The Commission has directed the authorities concerned to ensure justice for the victim’s family in accordance with the law and submit a report detailing the action taken in the case.
Similar to the ongoing demand for justice in the case of Parvinder Singh Jhota, an anti-drug activist who died in Mansa, protests are continuing in Abohar over the killing of sanitation worker Ajay Kumar. Protesters have said that the post-mortem examination and cremation will not take place until the police take action in the case.
Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar has reached Chandigarh along with the victim’s family. He has been staging a sit-in protest outside the Punjab Legislative Assembly for the past two days. A similar protest is also underway in Abohar, where demonstrators are demanding immediate action and an impartial investigation. The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis has written to the Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP, calling for an impartial investigation, protection for the victim’s family and a report on the action taken. In its letter, the Commission referred to the shooting incident that took place in Sant Nagar, Abohar, on September 27, 2026, stating that Ajay Kumar died while undergoing treatment. According to the letter, he belonged to the sanitation workers’ community, and his father is also a sanitation worker.
The Commission has recommended that the investigation be supervised by a senior police officer who is not directly involved in the ongoing probe. It has also called for a thorough examination of all available evidence, including CCTV footage, forensic evidence, call records and the deceased’s statement. In addition, the authorities have been asked to consider providing protection to the victim’s family and witnesses, as well as appropriate compensation and legal assistance.
Meanwhile, Sunil Jakhar has urged the Punjab government to take the Commission’s recommendations seriously and submit a report on the progress of the investigation. He said the victim’s family must get justice and that any decision regarding the accused must be based on evidence and taken in accordance with the law.