Sidhu Moose Wala murder: 5 facts on the final moments of the Punjabi singer
Popular Punjabi singer and Congress leader Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala, was shot dead on May 29, Sunday. Moose Wala’s murder has shaken Punjab and his fans all over India and abroad. On the political front, opposition parties in Punjab have been relentless in their criticism of the ruling AAP government.
[READ MORE about Sidhu Moose Wala, his music and political career here.]
Here are 5 facts about Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder:
1. What happened? On Sunday, Sidhu Moose Wala and two of his friends were travelling to Jawahar Ke village in Mansa district in Punjab. The trio was travelling a black Thar jeep, with Moose Wala’s father, along with two armed personnel following in a car behind them.
ਰੁਤਬਾ ਤੋ ਯੂ ਹੀ ਬਰਕਰਾਰ ਰਹੇਗਾ, ਓਜਾੜਨੇ ਵਾਲੇ ਭਲੇ ਹੀ ਦਿਨ ਰਾਤ ਏਕ ਕਰ ਦੇਂ⛳ pic.twitter.com/dWh06EzU6P
— Sidhu Moose Wala (@iSidhuMooseWala) April 15, 2022
Two other vehicles opened fire on Moose Wala’s jeep, killing the 28-year-old singer and injuring his two friends. According to sources, 30 bullets were sprayed at Moose Wala’s jeep from an AN-94 Russian assault rifle. The rifle is said to be in rare use in Punjab.
Following the shootout, Moose Wala and the two other injured were rushed to the hospital, but the singer was declared brought dead. Below is the CCTV footage timed 5:22 pm on Sunday, leading up to Moose Wala's death.
#WATCH | Punjab: A CCTV video shows two cars trailing Sidhu Moose Wala's vehicle moments before he was shot dead in Mansa district. pic.twitter.com/SsJag33XHb
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2022
2. Who killed Sidhu Moose Wala? Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar alias Satinder Singh has claimed responsibility for the murder in a Facebook post. Goldy Brar is a close associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, whom he has also named in the Facebook post.
However, these posts have not yet been verified. Punjab Police says prima facie it looks like the case of gang rivalry between Moose Wala and the Bishnoi gang.
Lawrence Bishnoi rose to fame after trying to plot the assassination of Bollywood actor Salman Khan for poaching a blackbuck in 1998. The gangster belongs to the ‘Bishnoi’ community that worships blackbucks.
Goldy Brar is accused of murdering a Youth Congress leader Gurlal Singh in 2021.
Goldy Brar said Moose Wala was killed to avenge the murders of SAD leader Vicky Middukhera and former SOPU (Students Organisation of Panjab University – Lawrence Group) President Gurlal Brar. The gang claimed that Sidhu Moose Wala was involved in their murders. However, police have not found anything to link the singer to the two murders.
3. The security controversy: Sidhu Moose Wala’s death comes just a day after the AAP government in Punjab announced that it was cutting back on the security cover of several VIPs to end the ‘VIP culture’. While Sidhu Moose Wala’s security was not completely removed, it was reduced from 4 armed guards to two. But as per the police, on the fateful day, Moose Wala did not take the two security guards in the same vehicle as himself, nor did he travel in his bulletproof Fortuner, in which he usually travelled in.
FANITO ? pic.twitter.com/BlUGbqMsOR
— Sidhu Moose Wala (@iSidhuMooseWala) March 30, 2022
However, opposition parties in Punjab have rained criticism at the Bhagwant Mann government for Moose Wala’s death. While some called Mann an inexperienced Chief Minister, others mocked the Punjab government on their poor law and order situation.
Until yesterday, Aam Aadmi Party celebrated the withdrawal of security cover from 424 VIPs, including Sidhu Moosewala, and cited this as an accomplishment.
— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) May 29, 2022
Today, there is grief throughout the country.
You are responsible for Jungle Raj and #sidhumoosewala Murder. tell @ArvindKejriwal why you withdraw Sidhu Moosewala Security yesterday? https://t.co/yrVef4CgZn
— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) May 29, 2022
4. The threats: According to Sidhu Moose Wala’s father, the singer had been getting frequent ransom and threat calls from the Bishnoi gang for a while before he was shot dead.
Punjab Police has formed a special investigating team to probe the incident.
5. The gang wars: Punjab, Haryana and Delhi are witnessing a turf war between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the group of slain gangster Davinder Bambiha. Goldy Brar, a close aide of Lawrence Bishnoi, is accused of running an extortion racket at the gangster’s behest. On the other hand, the Bambiha gang is allegedly operated by Lucky Patial, who’s jailed in Armenia. For the past few years, the two gangs have waged a bloody war. The Bishnoi gang claims that Moose Wala was involved in the killing of Vicky Middukhera and Gurlal Brar.
A few years ago, another prominent Punjabi singer, Parmish Verma, was shot at by unidentified gunmen. He survived and moved to Canada following the incident. Another singer Mankirt Aulakh is also receiving death threats from the Davinder Bambiha group.
Since new govt was formed in Punjab there've been series of unfortunate incidents beginning with killing of some Kabaddi players, attack on Punjab Intelligence HQ in Mohali, attack on a police personnel in Jalandhar and now killing of Sidhu Moose Wala: Manish Tewari, Congress pic.twitter.com/pXvIfDdNeo
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2022