Human Interest

Thousands bid adieu to popular Indian singer after murder

New Delhi, May 31 (EFE).- Thousands of people on Tuesday bid adieu to popular Indian singer and rapper Sidhu Moose Wala, two days after he was shot dead in the northwestern state of Punjab, within a day of his security cover being withdrawn by the regional government

The artist, a figure who courted controversy for promoting the use of weapons in his songs, was killed while travelling in his car with two other people – who were also injured – when several assailants opened fire against them from their vehicles.

The autopsy revealed that the 28-year-old singer had been shot up to 24 times by three different firearms, local media outlets reported.

On Tuesday a funeral procession was held for Moose Wala in his native village ahead of his cremation rites as per Sikhism, the predominant religion in the region.

A massive crowd came out on the streets to pay their last respects to the singer, with the procession lasting for hours.

Finally, his body was cremated amid chants of “Moose Wala Zindabad!,” (Long Live Moose Wala!).

Six people have been arrested so far under suspicion of being involved in the murder, which was attributed to gang rivalry by Punjab Police Chief VK Bhawra.

Bhawra referred to a recent Facebook post in which an alleged Indian gangster took responsibility for Moose Wala’s murder, calling it revenge for the killing of two members of his gang, in which he alleged the singer’s involvement.

The rapper’s assassination has triggered a controversy due to the government on Saturday withdrawing two of the four police officers deployed in the artist’s security, after he told the police of the threat to his life.

The decision, part of Punjab government’s move to temporarily withdraw the security of 424 “very important persons” in the state, has led to protests in several places, especially led by the opposition Indian National Congress party.

Moose Wala had unsuccessfully contested the regional elections on a Congress ticket in February.

The police chief said that Moose Wala had not been travelling in his bulletproof vehicle at the time of the shooting and had left his police escort behind at his residence.

Moose Wala’s musical career began in 2018 after he moved to Canada, with his first album peaking at no. 66 in Canadian charts.

However, his career was marred by controversies due to his glorification of arms, as he often posed with pistols or heavy weapons in social media posts, leading to police complaints.

Another controversial episode took place in April, when he dubbed those who had not voted for him as traitors after his electoral loss.

Apart from his music and political career, Moose Wala had also appeared in a few Punjabi movies, the last of them being released in march 2022.

On May 15, the singer released his last song, titled “the last ride,” paying tribute to American rapper Tupac Shakur, who was also killed in a shooting in 1996 while travelling in a car, in an eerie similarity with Moose Wala’s own death. EFE

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