Sidhu Moose Wala got threat calls from Bishnoi gang -father in FIR: ‘Saw attack’

Sidhu Moose Wala: The Congress leader was shot dead, a day after his security was downgraded.

A first-information report has been filed in the murder of Punjab singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala, a day after he was shot dead in the state’s Mansa district. The case has triggered a massive political row with the Congress demanding  the dismissal of the Bhagwant Mann government. The killing took place a day after his security was downgraded by the state government in the midst of action against “VIP culture”. The family has refused to allow the post-mortem of the body.

The young rapper, Moose Wala, who forayed into politics in the 2022 state polls in Punjab, was shot dead by unidentified assailants just two weeks before he was to turn 29.(HT_PRINT)

The FIR was filed on Moose Wala's father Balkour Singh’s complaint. According to the first information report, the Congress leader was “getting extortion and threat to life calls from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and others”.  

The singer-politician's father has sought an investigation by a central probe agency - NIA or CBI - in a letter to the chief minister. 

Balkour Singh said he was witness to the fatal attack on his son. Singh “took both police security personnel in his car after he learnt that Moose Wala had left home without guards,” on Sunday evening, he said. 

A CCTV footage has emerged that shows a Sedan and SUV trailing the Congress leader’s car on Sunday evening, shortly after he left home. He was not in his bulletproof car, the police had said.

Both the Sedan and SUV had four assailants each, says the FIR, which adds that according to the “eyewitness and complainant, the driver of the SUV first opened fire at Moose Wala, who was driving his Thar.” About 30 rounds of FIR are said to have been fired.

Amid attacks from the Congress, the Punjab government has formed a special investigation team to probe into the murder. 

Bhagwant Mann “is taking minute to minute updates on Sidhu Moose Wala murder case. He will hold a meeting with senior police officials today. A number of senior police officials sent to Mansa. Prompt action should be taken to catch the culprits as soon as possible,” his office was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

(With inputs from ANI)