Sidhu Moosewala murder: Opposition questions law & order in Punjab

Chandigarh, May 29

Famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, alias Shubhdeep Singh, who was once booked for promoting gun culture and violence through his songs was shot dead in Mansa today.

The attack on the singer came just a day after his security was reduced by half. The Punjab Police had on Saturday withdrawn two of the four police personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) on his security duty.

Moosewala had unsuccessfully contested the state Assembly polls from Mansa recently. Reacting to the murder, the police suspect the involvement of gangsters in the crime. Police officers, preferring anonymity, said there had been instances of ransom calls made by gangsters to singers and actors of the Punjabi film industry recently.

This is the second major incident this month. Earlier, a group of terrorists and gangsters had fired a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) at the Punjab Police Headquarters in Mohali. Though the gang was busted, the three persons who carried out the attack are yet to be arrested.

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties in the state have been questioning the deteriorating law and order situation, citing these incidents.

BJP leader from Delhi Manjinder Singh Sirsa questioned the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government over the leak of the order to withdraw the security of 424 persons. He tweeted that making such a list public was dangerous for the protectees.

Booked twice for promoting violence

May 2020: Sidhu Moosewala was booked under the Arms Act after photographs of him firing an AK-47 rifle at a shooting range during the Covid lockdown went viral

JULY 2020: The police booked him for promoting violence and gun culture in his song ‘Sanju’, which glorifies the use of weapons and boasts about various FIRs lodged against him

Arrest DGP, SSP

There’s a deep-rooted conspiracy behind Moosewala’s murder. CM Mann is responsible for the murder. The DGP and Mansa SSP should be put behind the bars. — Raja Warring, Congress

Own responsibility

The CM must honestly think if the cheap populist decision to withdraw Moosewala’s security was responsible for the tragedy. Someone must own the responsibility. — Sukhbir Badal, SAD

No fear of law

Law and order has completely collapsed in Punjab. Criminals have no fear of law. The AAP govt has miserably failed. Nobody is safe in Punjab. — Capt Amarinder Singh, PLC

50 murders in 2 months

Criminals are running the government, not CM Mann. The law and order has deteriorated under AAP. In the last two months, more than 50 murders have taken place. — Ashwani Sharma, BJP

Strengthen security

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must strengthen security arrangements instead of withdrawing these without considering the threat perception. — Sukhdev Dhindsa, SAD (S)