Sidhu Moose Wala cremated at native village in Punjab's Mansa, thousands attend
Sidhu Moose Wala was among the 424 people whose security was withdrawn or curtailed by the Punjab government on Saturday.
Sidhu Moose Wala Last Rites: Slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was on Tuesday cremated at the native village in Punjab's Mansa district. Several mourners including his fans gathered at the residence of Wala to pay their last respects.
Earlier in the morning, accompanied by some relatives, Moose Wala's father received his son's body from Mansa Civil hospital, where it was kept for post-mortem, around 8:15 am. The body was taken to his residence at Moosa village in Mansa.
A heavy police force was deployed outside the residence of the Punjabi singer as mourners, especially the youth and the singer's fans, assembled outside the house to pay their last respects. Several people raised slogans in his favour.
Sidhu Moose Wala, who had joined the Congress before the Punjab polls, was shot dead by gangsters on Sunday. The incident happened within 24 hours after his security was withdrawn by the Punjab government. The murder soon triggered a political row. Police said that the killing seemed to be the result of an inter-gang rivalry and that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was involved in it.
Here are the key developments in the case of Moose Wala's death:
Blame on AAP
The Delhi Congress on Monday staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here accusing the AAP of being responsible for Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala's killing in Punjab.
The Congress workers chanted slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is in power in Delhi and Punjab, and carried placards with slogans like “provide justice to late Sidhu Moosewala” and “prachar nahi, Punjab ki janta ko suraksha do (focus on safety of people of Punjab and not publicity).”
Sidhu's father Balkaur Singh Sidhu Moosa Wala wrote to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, demanding justice for his son. He claimed that the AAP-led Punjab state government's failure was responsible for his son's death.
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's plea rejected
A Delhi court refused to entertain a plea filed by alleged jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, accused in Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moose Wala's killing, seeking a direction to the jail authorities not to give his custody to Punjab police, court source said.
Major leads in the case, claim Punjab Police
The Punjab Police said it has rounded up some people and got several important leads in the murder case of Sidhu Moosewala, even as a CCTV footage has emerged on social media which shows the Punjabi singer’s vehicle being followed just before he was shot dead.
The Punjab Police on Monday also detained five men in Dehradun in connection with the case, officials said. Moosewala, who had fought the recent assembly elections in Punjab on a Congress ticket from Mansa, was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Mansa district, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover.
As a manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits, the police are also investigating role of some people who could be seen in a CCTV footage procured from a 'dhaba' in Mansa where they were having meal on Sunday, said police sources.
Punjab CM orders probe by sitting HC judge
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the setting up of a judicial commission under the chairmanship of a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to probe the murder case of renowned singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala.
The Chief Minister, while acceding to the request of Balkar Singh Sidhu, the father of slain singer, said the state government will be requesting the Chief Justice of the High Court to get the case enquired into by a sitting judge.
Mann said the state government will ensure full cooperation to this enquiry commission, including roping in of any of the central agencies like National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Video proofs, car of suspects uncovered
Another CCTV footage has emerged on social media which shows that the vehicle of Moosewala was being followed just before bullets were sprayed on him, leading to his death, the sources said.
An abandoned car has been recovered in Moga, police said, adding they suspect that the assailants might have fled in this vehicle after committing the murder. A forensic team is examining the car, said police.
Who claimed responsibility for Sidhu Moose Wala's murder
According to police, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was behind the murder of Moosewala. A Canada-based Goldy Brar, member of the Bishnoi gang, had taken the responsibility of the murder of the Punjabi singer. Moosewala's murder was in retaliation of the killing of youth Akali leader Vicky Middukhera last year, police said, adding that the name of Moosewala's manager Shaganpreet had figured in the murder of Middukhera.