Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead day after security was withdrawn

Controversial singer joined the Congress party late last year; he was shot multiple times in a village.

Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on Sunday a day after the state’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government withdrew the security of some 420 people, including Moose Wala.

Police offier Gobinder Singh told PTI Moosewala, 28, and his two friends were travelling in a jeep when they were shot at several times in Jawahar Ke village.

Dr Ranjeet Rai told reporters that Moosewala was brought dead to the state-run hospital in Mansa. His friends are being treated at another hospital for injuries.

In the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, Sidhu Moose Wala contested from Mansa on a Congress ticket. He was defeated by Aam Aadmi Party's Dr Vijay Singla.

Moose Wala, whose given name was Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, joined the Congress in November. The Indian Express reports when the Congress granted him ticket from Mansa Assembly constituency, then sitting Mansa MLA, Nazar Singh Manshahia, had revolted against the party.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Siddhu Moosewala. Nobody involved will be spared. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fans across the world. I appeal everyone to stay calm,” said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who belongs to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and made his statement on Twitter.

“Deeply shocked at the broad daylight murder of Sidhu Moose Wala. Punjab and Punjabis across the world have lost a talented artist with mass connect, who could feel people’s pulse. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones and fans across the world,” said Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Twitter.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the police should file a complaint against Chief Minister Mann over “negligence of chief ministerial duties”.

“We have been warning Punjab Government to pay attention to Punjab’s situation. I demand an FIR against Bhagwant Mann for negligence of his Chief Ministerial duties which has cost the life of Sidhu Moosewala. Bhagwant Mann along with Arvind Kejriwal should be booked,” Sirsa said about the AAP leaders.

The rapper was criticised for allegedly promoting drugs and gun culture in his songs. He had a police complaint for allegedly promoting violence through his song ''Sanju'', PTI reported.

He was booked under the Arms Act and the Disaster Management Act in Barnala after photographs on social media showed him firing an AK-47 rifle at a firing range during a lockdown for Covid-19.

Hundreds of people have had their police security withdrawn after the AAP came to power in Punjab in March. The first order came on March 12, and the latest on May 28, according to the Indian Express.

Punjab Police withdrew security given to Moose Wala’s along with more than 420 people, including former MLAs, jathedars of two Takhts, heads of Deras, and a few police officers, reported PTI.