Jalandhar, March 9: A 19-year-old kabaddi player was found dead on Baloki Khera Road on Saturday afternoon, marking the second suspected drug-related fatality in the Mehatpur area within a two-day span. Vansh, a resident of Udhowal village, had left his home earlier that morning before his body was discovered approximately three kilometers away.
The death occurs amid a period of significant unrest in the region, following the passing of a local sarpanch from Boote Dian Channan on Friday. Residents in the area stated that the proximity of these incidents, separated by only seven kilometers, points to a troubling trend of substance use impacting local youth.
Vansh was previously recognized for his athletic achievements, having led his team at Government Senior Secondary School, Udhowal, to a district-level victory. Neighbors asserted that his involvement with drugs began shortly after he completed his secondary education two years ago.
“Vansh was a brilliant player and represented the school in countless kabaddi tournaments,” noted Manpreet Singh, a panch from Udhowal and a neighbor of the deceased. “He brought home many trophies. But as he became distanced from teachers after school, drugs took over.”
Singh further declared that the issue is widespread within the immediate community. He maintained that another neighbor, Jasdeep Singh Jassa, died of a suspected overdose on February 17, and shared that four out of nine homes on their specific street have youths struggling with addiction.
The death has added fuel to an ongoing protest outside the Mehatpur police station. Demonstrators, led by the family of the late sarpanch Mahinder Singh, affirmed that their sit-in will persist until those responsible for the local drug trade are apprehended.
“My father was targeted because he had the courage to speak against peddlers who supplied drugs to villagers,” stated Gurdev Singh, the son of the late sarpanch. “Yesterday, another youth died of an overdose. Our protest is against all these criminals claiming young lives.”
Mehatpur SHO Pankaj Kumar affirmed that authorities are looking into the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s passing. “The kingpin in the sarpanch death case will be arrested soon,” Kumar asserted. “Meanwhile, we are investigating if any drug angle is involved in Vansh’s death.”
