Gruesome videos show the body of an Indian megastar who was shot dead, in a crime that rocked a nation and drew tributes from around the world.
An Indian rapper turned politician has been shot dead in the driver’s seat of his car in a crime that has shocked the nation.
Sidhu Moose Wala, who attracted a giant following and whose songs were viewed more than 4 billion times on YouTube, was murdered in a crime involving multiple weapons, police say.
Graphic footage from the crime scene in the Mansa district of Punjab shows a large crowd gathered around the vehicle where the rapper sits covered in blood.
At least 30 rounds were fired into the vehicle, according to Punjab’s chief of police VK Bhawra.
The Hindustan Times reports that a passenger in the same vehicle also died from gunshot wounds. Police are blaming gang-related activity.
The newspaper also reports the rapper’s security had been scaled down in recent days from four armed guards to two.
The Pubjab-based artist, whose real name is Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, recently joined India’s Congress and promoted gun culture in his songs and on social media.
On May 11, he uploaded a picture holding a phone in one hand and a gold-handled gun in the other.
Rolling Stone magazine reports Moose Wala released his first song in 2017 and “quickly burst out of India to become one of the country’s most forceful musical exports in a generation”.
On social media, tributes are flowing for the man locals are referring to as “legend”.
Rapper Drake posted a photograph of Moose Wala on his Instagram stories on Sunday with the words: “RIP Moose.”
“I am Shocked and Deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Siddhu Moosewala,” chief minister Bhagwant Mann wrote.
“Nobody involved will be spared. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fans across the world. I appeal to everyone to stay calm. (sic)” he tweeted.
The murder has sparked a political row in India where the ruling party in Punjab was blamed for failing to crack down on crime.
“Today, a young Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down in a state-sponsored murder. The AAP government is totally responsible for this,” said a spokesperson for India’s ruling BJP party.
