CHANDIGARH: A day after the state police scaled down the security cover of Punjabi singer and politician Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu a.k.a. Sidhu Moose Wala, he was shot dead while driving his jeep at Jawaharke village in Mansa district on Sunday evening.
The popular singer was about fortnight away from his 29th birthday and was scheduled to enter matrimony in a month. Sources said his security cover was cut from four commandos to two. Even those two were not with him at the time of the attack, as the singer had told them not to come for work henceforth, claimed Punjab DGP V K Bhawra.
Sidhu Moose wala had left his village Moosa with a friend and a relative with himself at the wheel of his Mahindra Thar jeep, when it was intercepted by two vehicles around 5.30 pm. An estimated seven-eight assailants fired upon them indiscriminately. He was rushed to a civil hospital in Mansa where he was declared brought dead.
The two others in his car sustained bullet injuries and were referred to another hospital. Ever since the murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukherha last year, Moose wala’s life was under threat since the name of his manager Shaganpreet Singh figured in the crime. Instead of curtailing Moose wala’s security, it ought to have been tightened.
“Our internal report had also suggested that recently,’’ said a police officer on condition of anonymity. Sources said Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, claimed responsibility for the murder. After the news broke, people raised slogans and blamed the AAP government for the “withdrawal” of his security cover, adding the law and order situation had deteriorated ever since the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Punjab.
Moose wala had contested the Assembly elections on a Congress ticket from Mansa but lost to the Dr Vijay Singla of AAP. Remember Singla was sacked last week as health minister on charges of corruption.
On Saturday, the Punjab Police ordered the withdrawal of security of 424 people. SIT to probe case DGP Bhawra said Moose wala had a private bulletproof vehicle but he did not take it. A Special Investigation Team will be formed to investigate the case, he added .
The BJP blamed AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for the murder while the Delhi CM tweeted the “culprits will be given the harshest punishment”.