Why are Punjab singers under attack by criminal gangs?
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Loading... - Krish Bakshi
- 10 Jun 2022
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Rapper-turned-politician Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala, was shot and killed by unidentified people on May 29 in a crowded marketplace in the Mansa district in Punjab state, a day after his security was downsized by the state government.
The 28-year-old had a massive fan following both in India and abroad, especially in Canada and the UK, which have a sizeable Punjabi diaspora population.
According to Punjab police, Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, and gang member Lawrence Bishnoi, currently in a Delhi prison, were behind the attack. Initial investigations suggest that Moose Wala's death was the result of an inter-gang dispute.
Artists shared condolences online following the death of Moose Wala. Some also expressed concerns over the safety of artists in India's entertainment industry.
"Most people will never know the extent of what you have to deal with as a Punjabi artist behind the scenes on a daily basis," Amritpal Singh Dhillon, an Indian-born Canadian singer and rapper, and a close associate of Moose Wala, wrote in a post on Instagram. "With constant judgment, hate-filled comments, threats and negative energy directed towards people like us, who are just doing what we love."
Singer Mika Singh also shared his fears about celebrities becoming easy targets.
"Singers in Punjab often get such threats from gangsters. I am telling you from personal experiences, dealing with threats is very difficult," Singh said, while currently filming a reality show in Rajasthan. He has beefed up security measures as a precaution following the killing of Moose Wala.
Punjabi artists under attack
Citing fears for his life, singer Mankirt Aulakh has also increased security. He said he requested Punjab police to step up security measures after receiving threats in April from the Davinder Bambiha gang.
The gang is reportedly engaged in a turf war with associates of Lawrence Bishnoi. Industry insiders say scores of Punjabi singers are being threatened and attacked by gang members, and that extortion calls are seldomly reported.
"Many of the successful Punjabi singers or actors have linkages with Canada. Many of them have either permanent residency permits or have citizenship," Jaideep Sarin, a political commentator told DW, adding that Punjabi singers who have had success abroad are at increased risk of being targeted by gang members.
In 2018, unidentified persons shot Punjabi singer Parmish Verma in Mohali. He sustained a gunshot in the thigh. Gang member Dilpreet Singh, who is wanted on the account of numerous criminal cases including murder, claimed he shot Verma on his Facebook page.
In the same year, the bullet-riddled body of budding singer Navjot Singh was found in an empty plot of land in Dera Bassi. Investigations are still ongoing.
During this time, actor-singer Gippy Grewal said he had also received extortion threats via video call from Dilpreet Singh, seeking protection money. Jalandhar-based Punjabi singer Rai Jujhar, meanwhile, said he received threats from an unknown person over the phone. Read More...
