Who Killed Sidhu Moose Wala?

Who Killed Sidhu Moose Wala?

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

Days after the Punjab government reduced his security cover, along with that of many others,

Congress leader and popular Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead near Mansa on Sunday. Police said Moosewala, 28, was shot at while he was driving his SUV in village Jhawahar Ke in Mansa district with two others, and was declared brought dead at the Mansa Civil Hospital.

Punjab Director General of Police Viresh Kumar Bhawra said, “Moosewala left his house in Moosa village at 4.30 pm. Around 5.30 pm, he was driving his jeep, accompanied by two

persons, when two vehicles that had been following him intercepted his vehicle and fired at him.”

WAS SECURITY REMOVED OF MOOSEWALA?

On May 26, as part of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s security pruning exercise,

Moosewala’s security cover had been halved from four to two, ostensibly to augment police force for ghallughara diwas (marked to protest Operation Bluestar).

The Punjab Police had ordered the withdrawal or pruning of security for 424 persons, including MLAs, religious leaders, dera heads and retired police officers. Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora said that on Sunday, Moosewala did not take “the two commandos who were part of his security detail nor his private guards, telling them that he was going for a round”.

ABOUT SIDHU MOOSE WALA

Sidhu Moose Wala hailed from Moosa village in Mansa district of Punjab. His mother is a village head. After completing his electrical engineering from Punjab, he moved to Canada on a study visa in 2016. In 2017, he released his first track 'So High'. He was a controversial figure as some of his songs allegedly promoting violence and gun culture had landed him in trouble.

Moose Wala faced numerous cases over his songs allegedly promoting gun culture and violence. In 2020, the then Punjab government led by Captain Amarinder Singh had booked him under Arms Act for allegedly promoting

gun culture in one of his songs. During Covid-19 pandemic, Moose Wala was booked over a viral video which allegedly showed him firing with an AK-47 rifle in a firing range. Moose Wala had joined the Congress last year before the Punjab Assembly elections. Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was the Punjab Congress chief during his induction, had termed Moose Wala a youth icon and an international personality.

THEN WHO KILLED HIM?

DGP Bhawra said the killing “appears to be the result of inter-gang rivalry as Moosewala’s manager Shagunpreet Singh name had surfaced in the Vicky Middukhera murder case.” In August last year, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera was shot dead in a market in Mohali’s Sector 71. Police arrested three shooters, one of whom named Moosewala’s manager Shaganpreet. Shaganpreet has since been absconding.

INVOLVEMENT OF GOLDY BRAR

DGP Bhawra said police are investigating the alleged role of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the killing. On Sunday, hours after Moosewala was killed, Canada-based Goldy Brar, allegedly a member of the Bishnoi gang, Put out a Facebook post owning responsibility for the killing and alleging police didn’t act against the singer over Middukhera’s murder.

Satinder Singh, alias Goldy Brar, is considered to a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Last year, a court in Punjab's Faridkot district issued an open-ended non-bailable arrest warrant against Goldy Brar over the killing of Youth Congress leader Gurlal Singh Pehalwan. The 34-year-old died on the spot after being shot 12 times by two unidentified assailants in Faridkot.

WHAT NEXT?

The DGP said that on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Inspector General (Bathinda Range) has been asked to constitute a special investigation team to probe the incident.

Q. Which among the following operation was started just after the Operation Bluestar?

A) Operation Woodrose

B) Operation Sahyog

C) Operation Bluebird

D) Operation Polo