New Delhi: Police in Amritsar have launched a manhunt for two suspects who shot and killed social media influencer Madhusudan Sandhu, popularly known as Mad Sandhu, Saturday. The incident took place around 6pm at Loharka Road in the city, while Sandhu was waiting at a garage where his SUV was being washed.
With a social media following of 2.29 lakh, Sandhu was an outspoken member of the LGBTQ community, and was often criticised and threatened by some conservative groups who claimed “boys were becoming gay” under Sandhu’s “bad influence”.
His killing comes a year after another local influencer, Kanchan Kumari or Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, was allegedly killed by assailants upset about the nature of her social media content.
Sources in Punjab Police said Sandhu’s family had not complained about any “specific” threats to his life before his killing, but flagged episodes of hateful comments on social media and in the area where he was killed Saturday.
“The family has complained about hateful comments over social media as well as on the street where he was eventually killed, saying it was a routine affair for him, and it prima facie appears to be a case of social media-related controversy,” a police officer in Amritsar said. However, he said that the exact motive and trigger would be known only after the accused persons involved in the case are arrested.
“We have identified and have mapped quite a bit of their journey. We are hopeful of arresting them by this evening or tomorrow. Their arrest will lead us to all the answers,” the officer said on Sunday.
Gangster link?
Shortly after the incident, Amritsar Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Siri Vennela said Sandhu was rushed to a nearby hospital, but had already died at the spot of the shooting. “Around two to three rounds were fired, with an eyewitness saying the social media influencer was shot at close range,” he said.
Hours after the attack, a social media post emerged, claiming to be written by a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi-led gang, Goldy Dhillon, where Sandhu was blamed for being a bad influence on the youth in the state. However, police sources said no link can be confirmed until the two killers are arrested and interrogated.
In July this year, Sandhu was allegedly threatened in a phone call by Nihang jathedar Manpreet Singh Khalsa, who questioned the content on his social media account and his choice of clothes. In a purported recording of the call, which emerged on social media, Khalsa was heard warning him to stay away from such practices “as they could adversely affect Punjab’s culture and people”.
Sandhu later defended himself, saying God had made him the way he was and insisted he had made changes in his life and stopped “repeating past mistakes”. He also alleged that his old videos were being circulated again to unnecessarily reignite controversy.
Edited by Sunanda Ranjan
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