Sachin Pilot, Warring detained amid protest over Dalit man's 'suicide'
What's the story
Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot and state chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring were detained on Tuesday during a protest against Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. The protest was staged over the alleged suicide of a Dalit man in Sangrur who had publicly confronted Cheema about the unchecked sale of synthetic drugs (chitta) in the region. The opposition party is demanding Cheema's dismissal and an independent probe into the death.
Protest details
Pilot demands justice for victim's family
Police also used water cannons to disperse the Congress leaders and workers holding a protest against the state government over the death of Gulzar Singh.
Pilot had announced a protest march to Cheema's residence in Chandigarh, demanding justice for the victim's family.
He wrote on X, "His last video recording before his death clearly names the minister."
Warring had also called upon Congress workers to join the stir seeking "justice" for the victim's family and accountability from the AAP government.
Twitter Post
Congress leaders stage protest
#WATCH | Chandigarh: Congress leaders, including Sachin Pilot, Raja Warring, Pratap Bajwa, Charanjit Singh Channi, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, and other leaders and workers, hold a protest against the state government over the death of Gulzar Singh in Sangrur. pic.twitter.com/y4rngxY5Ol
— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2026
Protest participation
Rebel camp leaders join pilot's march
Despite internal factionalism in the Punjab Congress, rival camps united for the protest.
Rebel camp leaders former chief minister and MP Charanjit Singh Channi and former deputy CM and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also joined Pilot's march.
Randhawa assured his participation and said it would be a "massive protest."
The protest is seen as a test of Pilot's strategy to unite the factions ahead of the 2027 assembly polls.
Strategy focus
Dalit man had lost his son to drug abuse
The Dalit man had lost his son to drug abuse and had questioned Cheema about the government's failure to curb drug trafficking.
His family alleged that after questioning Cheema at an event on September 6, Singh was pressured to apologize and was subjected to casteist slurs.
He allegedly died by suicide after consuming poison following the incident.