India, Oct. 14 -- Hours after pharmacy owner Ashwani Kumar was arrested for the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, alias Jhota, Mansa district authorities launched a demolition drive Wednesday targeting unauthorised construction at Kumar's residence and medical shop.

The situation in the town turned tense after an agitated mob led by a group of Nihangs torched the chemist shop where Jhota was gunned down on Tuesday morning. The arson occurred despite heavy police deployment in the area.

Civil officials subsequently pressed an excavator into service to raze the shop and the front portion of Kumar's multi-storeyed house in Veer Nagar.

Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary was present on-site to supervise the operation and maintain law a...