Famous Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down in his home town of Mansa in the north Indian state in a shocking incident. The singer, with millions of fans, was 29 and killed in broad daylight.
While the murder is bound to open a can of worms in a state that just saw government changing hands and less than 24 hours after his security cover was reduced, the death of the singer has invoked a travesty of fate given that his last song released on May 15 and was titled The Last Ride.
The song was uploaded to Sidhu’s official YouTube channel, where it garnered close to 10 million views. Ironically, that song was Moose Wala’s tribute to rapper Tupac Shakur (also referred to as 2Pac), who was shot dead in his car at the age of 25 in 1996). The song’s cover pic was the car Tupac was in that day.
Canadian-based gangster Goldy Brar has claimed responsibility for the incident saying his local module carried it out. Two cars, a Toyota and a Balero, followed his black jeep for a while before the occupants pulled the trigger. Ironically another album of Moose Wala was 295, which also became the date of his death.
The inspiration for the manner of killing may have a model in place but the circumstances around the incident are very murky.
Punjab DGP VK Bhawra said the incident seemed to be a result of inter-gang rivalry, and that special investigation team (SIT) had been formed to probe the matter. “Sidhu Moose Wala had a private bulletproof car that he didn’t take with him. On the orders of the CM, IG range has been directed to form an SIT. Three weapons were used. SSP Mansa and SSP Bathinda deployed there. ADG law and order has mobilised additional forces,” Bhawra said.
He loved to travel in an open jeep like on Sunday when he was with two friends, who are also admitted in serious condition. According to police, Moose Wala suffered bullet injuries and was rushed to a local hospital in Mansa. Dr Ranjeet Rai, civil surgeon at the Mansa hospital, said the singer was brought dead.
But social media was abuzz with speculation about the politics behind it. The singer, whose original name is Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, joined the Congress in December 2021 and unsuccessfully contested the Punjab assembly elections as a candidate from his home district of Mansa.
He lost to Aam Aadmi Party leader Vijay Singla. While he travelled to Dubai for a concert weeks after the election, Singla and his Aam Aadmi Party assumed power for the first time in Punjab as voters elected it to power in the hope of a welcome change.
While Moose Wala himself was in the headlines for wrong reasons – he had four cases against him – Singla also was sacked as health minister after a court sent him to judicial custody on May 27 for corruption charges.
The Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab had said Moose Wala’s songs promoted drugs and gun violence. The singer also has several cases registered against him for promoting weapons in his videos.
His debut album PBX1 and later Moosetape charted in the Canadian Hot 100 tracks. He also had to apologise for using a revered figure in Sikh Culture, Mai Bhago, in one of his singles.
During the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Moose Wala got into a controversy when he was seen firing a rifle at a shooting range of the Punjab Police, who were accompanying him during a public health programme.
Opposition parties reacted strongly and blamed the Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab. The singer’s party, the Congress said Mann had “blood on his hands”.
The chief minister is being blamed by opposition leaders for withdrawing his security and then for posting the order of the withdrawal on social media.
Chief minister Mann appealed for calm and said those involved will not be spared. “I am shocked and deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Siddhu Moosewala. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fans across the world,” he tweeted.
Filmstars and celebrities also have started expressing their condolences and shock at the incident.
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