Moose Wala laid to rest: Family, fans bid tearful farewell
Punjabi singer and Congress leader, Sidhu Moose Wala, has been cremated in his native Moosa village of Punjab's Mansa district. The singer's last rites were performed at the family's ancestral agricultural land in Moosa. Thousands of fans and supporters gathered to pay their last respects to Moose Wala. He was shot dead on Sunday—just a day after the Punjab government downgraded his security cover.
On Tuesday morning, Moose Wala's family brought the body of the deceased artist home from the Mansa Civil Hospital amid heavy security arrangements. A huge crowd later gathered outside his ancestral house, following which the police closed the doors, and only family members and close friends were allowed to enter, Hindustan Times reported. His supporters were also heard shouting slogans against the state government.
As per the post-mortem examination, reportedly conducted by a team of five doctors at the Mansa Civil Hospital, 25 entry and exit bullet wounds were found in Moose Wala's body. To recall, the singer's father Balkaur Singh earlier said that he was following him in a car with two armed personnel when the accused rained bullets on the 28-year-old and his two friends.
Earlier on Monday, Moose Wala's family refused to allow the post-mortem of the body after the Punjab Police claimed it was a case of inter-gang rivalry. Punjab's DGP VK Bhawra later clarified that he has the highest respect for the late singer and never called Moose Wala a gangster. "One Goldy Brar has claimed responsibility on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang," he added.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police has begun questioning jailed gangster Bishnoi at the Tihar Jail. Notably, Canada-based Brar is a close aide of Bishnoi. A key suspect was also detained from Uttarakhand's Dehradun on Monday in a joint operation by the Punjab Police and Uttarakhand cops. Five other people were also detained along with the main suspect. They have now been taken to Punjab for interrogation.
Moose Wala's killing has also sparked a political row in the state, with the Opposition accusing the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government of endangering VIPs by downsizing their security cover. Many are also calling for the dismissal of the Mann government. Following the criticism, the state government on Monday has ordered a review into the decision of scaling down Moose Wala's security.
Notably, Moose Wala was among the 424 people whose security was withdrawn or curtailed by the Punjab Police Saturday in what it termed was a move against the "VIP culture." However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the state government, seeking a detailed report on the number of people whose security was reduced and the reason for the same.
Facing sharp criticism, Punjab CM Mann has also announced the setting up of a judicial commission headed by a sitting judge of the high court to probe the killing of Moose Wala.
