Chandigarh: Famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Mansa district, a day after the state government withdrew his security cover. He was on the wheel in Mahindra Thar SUV when the assailants, believed to be 10-12, fired more than 20 rounds at point-blank range at the singer and his two friends, who got grievous injuries.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Mansa) Gobinder Singh said several bullets hit Moosewala, 27, who was in his jeep at Jawahar Ke village when he was attacked. Mansa civil surgeon Dr Ranjeet Rai told reporters that Moosewala was brought dead at the civil hospital.
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 Two of his four gunmen were withdrawn with the new government order.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.
Controversies were not new to Moosewala. He created stir by allegedly misusing the name of 18th century Sikh warrior Mai Bhago in his track with panthic bodies demanding his arrest for hurting Sikh sentiments. He later apologised.
Moosewala, who was facing charges of promoting violence and gun culture in his song ‘Sanju’, had joined the Congress on December 3, 2021.
Moosewala, who created a niche for himself with his unique rapping style, was known for hit tracks like ‘Legend’, ‘Devil’, ‘Just listen’, ‘Jatt da Muqabala’ and ‘Hathyar’, among many others. Many of his songs featured in the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 charts.
He played the protagonist in Punjabi film ‘Moosa Jatt’. His another film ‘Yes I Am A Student’ was a story that sheds light on the hardship of international students but inspires them to never lose hope.
“I am not entering politics for status or to earn praise. I want to become a part of the system to transform it. I am joining the Congress to raise the voice of the people. I am joining the Congress as the party has leaders who have come from common families,” Moosewala, who went to Canada in 2016 as an international student, had said on the day he joined politics.