Punjabi rapper Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, who performs with the stage name Sidhu Moose Wala, died Sunday, a day after he was fatally shot, officials said. The rapper, known for mixing folk, rap, and hip-hop genres in his music, was 28. He was allegedly struck by 24 bullets, police said. Police in India’s Punjab state suspect Moose Wala’s death is linked to an inter-gang rivalry, reports The Associated Press.
Moose Wala was shot while driving his car in the Mansa district of Punjab. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead. The day before the attack, Moose Wala and others lost their security details in an effort to “clamp down on VIP culture,” according to local reports.
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While fans gathered outside his home village to pay tribute to Moose Wala, police reportedly detained six people in connection with the murder, reports BBC News. Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Man launched an inquiry into Moose Wala’s death, with a high court judge overseeing the investigation.
Video footage showed Moose Wala’s car peppered by bullets, with some piercing the windscreen and hood. Doctors found bullet marks on his chest, feet, and abdomen, health department officials told the BBC. Another official said a medical team will perform another examination of Moose Wala’s body.
Moose Wala’s death sparked controversies in Punjab. State police chief VK Bhawra was publicly criticized by the rapper’s family for prematurely linking his death to gang violence before an investigation was completed. Bhawra said on Monday he didn’t do that though. “One Goldy Brar has claimed the responsibility on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The investigation would look into all aspects regarding the murder,” he said Monday, reports the BBC.
Opposition leaders are also trying to understand why Moose Wala’s security detail was removed just one day before his murder. He only had two commandos assigned to him, and the officers were not with him at the time of the shooting. Moose Wala was a politician himself, having joined the Congress Party last year and unsuccessfully running for local office.
Moose Wala began his music career as a songwriter before releasing his first hit single in 2017. He performed mostly in Punjabi, but his songs had English titles. His first album charted in Canada. In 2020, he was charged under India’s Arms Act for allegedly promoting gun culture in his lyrics. He released his last track, “The Last Ride,” in early May.
