Chandigarh/Mansa: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint alleging human rights violations linked to the death of Daljit Singh, a resident of Bhamme Kalan village in Mansa district, and the alleged use of force against protesters who demanded accountability, and has issued notices to the Punjab Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police.
A Bench presided over by NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo directed both officials to enquire into the allegations and submit an Action Taken Report within two weeks. The action was initiated under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, after a complaint filed by Harmandeep Singh Mehta was placed before the Commission on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Nation Press reported. The NHRC observed, as reported, that "the allegations made in the complaint prima facie seem to be violations of the human rights of the victim" — a prima facie observation at the notice stage, not a final finding against any official.
Daljit Singh was found dead near Ramanandi village on October 27, Punjab Chronicle reported, describing him as a marginal farmer from Bhamme Kalan. His family has alleged that his death was linked to drug consumption and has demanded action against those allegedly supplying narcotics in the locality. Police, however, said preliminary findings pointed towards a possible murder, and that the exact cause of death would be established through a post-mortem examination. The cause of death is therefore not established: the family's drug-link allegation and the police's possible-murder line are both under examination, and the post-mortem report is awaited.
According to the complaint, when family members and supporters protested, police intercepted the procession near Ramdittewala Chowk and took custody of the deceased's body; a confrontation followed, during which police are alleged to have used force and detained several protesters. Punjab Chronicle reported that police took custody of the body and shifted it to AIIMS Bathinda, a move the family and supporters objected to. The police, for their part, reportedly justified their intervention on grounds of maintaining law and order, and said some protesters had allegedly assaulted police personnel. The complainant has sought an independent enquiry into Daljit Singh's death and the police action that followed.
The notices put the state's two senior-most officials — the Chief Secretary and the DGP — on a two-week clock. Their Action Taken Reports will be the first official, on-record account of both the death investigation and the protest handling, and the Commission can escalate its inquiry if the reports are found unsatisfactory. The intervention also widens the political pressure on the Bhagwant Mann government over the Mansa case, where the underlying protest — linked to the ongoing agitation over the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota — was already the subject of opposition attacks on Wednesday.