CHANDIGARH: Hundreds of people turned up to attend the cremation of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala on Tuesday. His grieving father Balkar Singh Sidhu took off his turban in a gesture of gratitude to his son’s fans.
Moosewala’s body lay in a flower-bedecked trolley pulled by his favorite tractor ‘5911.’ As per tradition, his mother combed her son’s hair for the last time while his father tied the turban. His fans and the public called it ‘Veere di aakhri ride (last journey of brother)’ in reference to the singer’s last track titled ‘The Last Ride’ written and sung by him.
The song describes his last journey in a young age. Since his death, the song has been widely shared by his followers on social media. The cremation took place amid chants of ‘Satnam Waheguru’ in the three-and-a-half-acre land owned by the singer.
Earlier in the day, the family brought the singer’s body home from the mortuary of Civil Hospital at Mansa, where a team of five doctors conducted his post-mortem. Following the angry reactions of the singer’s fans against the state government and the Police, a heavy police force was deployed outside his residence.
On the way to the last journey, the youths carrying photographs of Moosewala raised slogans ‘Sidhu Moosewala amar rahe’ (Long Live Sidhu Moosewala). A girl who came from Ludhiana to attend the singer’s last rites said she had not eaten anything since Sunday. “Her father brought her here,” said her friend.
A villager said he had met Moosewala on Saturday evening and the two chatted for hours as he was ploughing his fields with his new tractor.
Standing together in grief
The mourning by hundreds of ardent fans of Moosewala was accentuated by a moving gesture from the singer’s father.
Expressing his love and gratitude towards the crowd, a crying Balkar Singh removed his turban and bowed to the huge crowd gathered to attend the funeral of his son.
As per the post-mortem investigation, over two dozen bullets hit the singer, most of them in his chest and abdomen.
A few of the bullets also hit the head and thighs, sources said.