The investigation into the daylight murder of Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan, 32, has entered a crucial phase, with the Uttar Pradesh STF and Shamli Police are focusing on two Haryana-based suspected contract killers and examining their possible links with the four assailants captured on CCTV, senior police officials said on Saturday.
Investigators have scanned CCTV footage, social-media videos and other digital material that surfaced after Baliyan was shot dead outside a gym in Shamli on Wednesday evening. Scrutinising the attackers’ movements before and after the shooting helped investigators narrow their focus to two suspects from Haryana. Their identities and criminal antecedents are being verified and have not been officially disclosed.
The UP Police has formed eight teams to crack the case, with several conducting raids at multiple locations in Haryana. Meerut Zone ADG Bhanu Bhaskar reviewed the probe with senior officers in Shamli and said police were close to identifying the accused and had made progress in tracing the weapons allegedly used in the murder.
Baliyan, a resident of Bantikhera village, was shot outside a gym in the Kotwali area between 6:45 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday. CCTV footage showed four men following him as he moved towards his Scorpio SUV before opening fire.
Investigators are correlating footage from different cameras with forensic evidence to establish the exact sequence and number of rounds fired. Police suspect the attackers may have travelled from Haryana to Shamli and fled towards the neighbouring state, making their inter-state movement a key component of the investigation.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators are correlating footage from different cameras with forensic evidence to establish the exact sequence and number of rounds fired. Police suspect the attackers may have travelled from Haryana to Shamli and fled towards the neighbouring state, making their inter-state movement a key component of the investigation.
{{/usCountry}}Threat to another singer under scanner
Investigators are also examining a recent threat issued to another Haryanvi singer, Masoom Sharma, allegedly demanding that he remove a song that had angered some people. Police are checking whether the threat has any connection with Baliyan’s murder or represents a separate dispute.
Baliyan’s songs, social-media activity, professional rivalries and previous disputes are also being scrutinised. A purported social-media post by a person identifying himself as Bholu Shahpuria, allegedly linked to the gang of slain gangster Gogi, claimed responsibility for the killing. Police are verifying its authenticity and the identity of its author.
SP MP Iqra meet Baliyan family, Akhilesh speaks to his father
The murder of Ankit Baliyan has meanwhile taken a political turn in western Uttar Pradesh. Kairana SP MP Iqra Hasan and her brother, Kairana MLA Nahid Hasan, visited Baliyan’s family on Friday evening and expressed condolences.
Iqra facilitated a telephone conversation between Baliyan’s father, Satvir Singh, and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav. Yadav expressed condolences and assured the family of support in its fight for justice.
Iqra questioned how the attackers managed to escape after the shooting and why an immediate state-wide blockade could not prevent their escape. She demanded strict action and said she and Nahid would stand by the family. She also indicated that if the police did not solve the case within the promised timeframe, she would support the family’s decision to protest against the administration.