30 bullets fired on the singer
By Noreen Aslam
Mansa: Congress leader and Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh aka Sidhu Moose Wala, 28, was shot dead by the unidentified assailants at Jawaharke village in Mansa district on Sunday evening, a day after the state government withdrew the two gunmen provided to him, people aware of the matter said.
The incident took place at Jawaharke village when Moose Wala along with two others was about four kilometres from his residence in Moosa village. Police said Sidhu was in his Mahindra Thar when unidentified persons opened fire on the vehicle. More than 30 rounds were fired on the vehicle.
Police said Sidhu appeared to have sustained more than eight bullet injuries and was taken to the Mansa civil hospital where he died. The condition of the other two is critical.
Chief medical officer Mansa Ranjit Rai said that Sidhu Moose Wala succumbed to his injuries.
The condition of the two survivors is critical and were referred to a better-equipped hospital.
Sidhu Moose Wala joined the Punjab Congress in December 2021 ahead of state elections, saying that he wanted to be part of the system to speak for the underprivileged.
He also contested the Punjab elections from Mansa but lost to Aam Aadmi Party’s Vijay Singla, who was appointed Punjab health minister and sacked on Tuesday last on corruption charges.
The attack comes a day after the Punjab Police ordered the withdrawal of Moose Wala’s security along with more than 420 people, including former MLAs, jathedars of two Takhts, heads of Deras, and a few police officers.
The state also downgraded the security cover granted to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh but restored it hours later amid a controversy. Singh, however, refused to take it back, saying that “Khalsa Panth and our Sikh youth are enough to provide security”.
Earlier in April, the Punjab government had ordered the withdrawal of security cover of 184 people, including former ministers and ex-MLAs.
