AMN
Punjab chief minister Bhagwan Mann on Sunday expressed condolences to the family and fans of Punjab singer Sidhu Moose Wala after he was killed by unidentified assailants in the Mansa district. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader also appealed for calm as the singer’s supporters gathered outside the local hospital where he was declared brought dead.
The incident took place at Jawaharke village when Moose Wala was driving in his jeep with his two friends. The killing also takes significant as it comes a day after the Punjab government withdew security cover of hundreds of people including Moose Wala, in a crack down on VIP culture. Fans on Twitter also criticised the party for the move and blamed AAP government, saying the security withdrawal made Moose Wala more vulnerable to threats.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu Moose Wala, aka Sidhu Moosewala, had contested the 2022 Punjab Assembly election on a Congress ticket from Mansa constituency and had lost his debut poll to AAP’s Dr Vijay Singla. Interestingly, Dr Singla was recently sacked from the Punjab Cabinet on corruption charges.
The incident happened a day after Punjab Police ordered the withdrawal of security of more than 420 people, including former legislators, Jathedars of two Takhts, heads of deras and police officers. Two of his four gunmen were withdrawn with the new government order. Moosewala was without security when the crime happened.
Also he was travelling in a vehicle that was not bullet proof. Normally, he used his bullet-proof Toyota Fortuner for commuting, police said.
Leaving behind his celebrated tag of a top Punjabi rap singer with fans across the globe, Moosewala, belonging to native Moosa village, did not mind in singing couplets of his songs and posing for countless selfies with the electorate, largely first-timers, during his campaigning.
With assets of Rs 7.87 crore as per his nomination affidavit, the singer-turned-politician, who loved to ride on an open jeep, was facing four criminal cases, including two for obscene scenes.