“Nobody involved will be spared,” Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann tweeted in reaction to the fatal shooting of rapper Sidhu Moose Wala
A rapper turned politician was fatally shot in what police in India alleged was a gang-related attack.
On Sunday, Sidhu Moose Wala was shot and killed in a drive-by incident roughly an hour after leaving his Mansa home in the Indian state of Punjab.
Thirty empty casings were later discovered at the scene that had come from three different guns –– one of them being a 9mm handgun. Moose Wala –– born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu –– was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, Punjab police chief Viresh Kumar Bhawra said, per CNN.
Video filmed at the scene shows the former rapper’s SUV was hit at least 14 times, according to Rolling Stone. Another person in the vehicle also died.
Officials in Punjab have said the shooting is gang-related as a Candian gang member allegedly claimed responsibility on social media, the outlet added. However, Moose Wala’s family want Bhawra to issue an apology for connecting the incident to a gang rivalry before conducting an official investigation, BBC reported.
Bhawra said in a follow-up statement on Monday that he never labeled Moose Wala as a “gangster or affiliated with gangsters,” according to BBC. “The investigation would look into all aspects regarding the murder,” Bhawra said. He added that some publications “misquoted” his original statement, according to BBC.
At the same time, political organizations have pointed the finger at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is India’s ruling party. “Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down in a state-sponsored murder. The AAP government is totally responsible for this,” India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said in a statement, according to CNN.
The chief minister of Punjab, AAP’s Bhagwant Mann, has called for an investigation, the publication added.
Reacting to the incident on Twitter, Mann wrote on Sunday, “I am Shocked and Deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Siddhu Moosewala. Nobody involved will be spared. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fans across the world. I appeal everyone to stay calm.”
Ahead of his death, Moose Wala’s security detail was reduced from four to two commandos, a move Mann said was an effort for the government to stop giving public figures special treatment over residents, per BBC.
The “So High” rapper entered politics last December when he joined India’s Congress party.
“I am not entering politics for status or to earn praise,” he said at the time, per Rolling Stone. “I want to become a part of the system to transform it. I am joining the Congress to raise the voice of the people.”
Moose Wala, who recently released his latest song “The Last Ride”, first hit the scene in 2017 with the single “So High” and then his 2018 debut album PBX 1. His music found an international audience and he featured heavily on the U.K.’s Asian charts.
Following news of his passing, Drake paid tribute to the late rapper on his Instagram Story, sharing a photo of Moose Wala posing with his mother. “RIP Moose”, Drake wrote, adding a dove Emoji.
A message shared on Moose Wala’s Instagram Story says that a visitation is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. local time. He will then be cremated at Noon “in the village Moosa,” it added.
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