Sidhu Moose Wala had two gunmen, bulletproof car; he travelled without them: Police
According to Mansa SSP Gaurav Toora, Moose Wala had four police security personnel, of which two were withdrawn temporarily. The two Punjab Police commandos attached with the singer-politician were not taken along, he said.
Sidhu Moose Wala, who was murdered in broad daylight on Sunday, still had two gunmen as part of his security cover, but was travelling without them when the incident happened, police said, amid a huge uproar over the singer-rapper-turned-politician’s assassination.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and BJP, have ripped into Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann's decision to withdraw Moose Wala's security cover.
According to Mansa SSP Gaurav Toora, Moose Wala had four police security personnel, of whom two were withdrawn temporarily. The two Punjab Police commandos attached with the singer-politician were not taken along, he said.
Hitting out at Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla described the death as a ‘state-sponsored’ murder. “Today, a young Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down in a state-sponsored murder. The AAP government is totally responsible for this,” Poonawalla said in a video statement. Moose Wala was among 424 political leaders and officials whose security cover was removed just a day ago by the Punjab government.
“While leaving home today, Sidhu didn’t take along his two police personnel and also left his private bulletproof car at home,” confirmed Punjab DGP VK Bhawra in a press briefing following the attack.
Bhawra said Canada-based singer Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi are behind the assassination. Police also suspect inter-gang rivalry and involvement of the Lakhi Patial gang as one of Moose Wala's manager Shagunpreet is an accused in Akali Dal leader Vicky Midhukhera’s murder.
The DGP further said 30 cartridges were retrieved from the crime spot.
The 29-year-old Congress leader was shot dead at Jawaharke village in Mansa district this evening. The incident took place when Moose Wala was travelling in his Mahindra Thar, along with two others, about 4km from his residence in Moosa village.
