Casepin
Back to cases

Active case

Killing of Sidhu Moose Wala

ONGOING2022Jawaharke village, Mansa, Punjab, India3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026

Documents violence · ongoing investigation — written to inform, not to shock.

Illustrative

Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, 28, was shot dead by unidentified assailants while travelling in his private car in Jawaharke village, Mansa district, Punjab, on 29 May 2022. He had been travelling with two others in his personal vehicle rather than his bullet-proof car, and did not have his police security detail with him at the time, reportedly because his Thar SUV could not accommodate five people.

The day before the killing, Moose Wala was among 424 people whose police security cover was reduced or removed entirely as part of measures ahead of the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, which left him with two commandos instead of four.

According to police, a gang led by Lawrence Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the killing in an unverified Facebook post, though Bishnoi denied making the claim. He was nonetheless held by Punjab Police, who described him as considering him the "mastermind" of the murder as of June 2022. Police stated the gang claimed the killing was in revenge for the 2021 murder of Akali Youth leader Vicky Middukhera, alleging an aide of Moose Wala had a role in that killing, though no legal evidence has been presented to support this claim. A Canadian gangster of Punjabi origin, Satinder Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, separately claimed responsibility, saying his "Punjab module" carried out the shooting. Punjab Police later confirmed the involvement of the Bishnoi gang. Moose Wala's father stated that his son had been receiving death threats from gangsters over extortion, a statement corroborated by singer Mika Singh.

Investigators recovered bullets from an AN-94 Russian assault rifle and a pistol at the scene. Six suspects were detained from Uttarakhand, including one detained on 30 May while hiding among pilgrims at Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib. An autopsy conducted by five doctors and videographed found that Moose Wala suffered 19 bullet injuries and died within 15 minutes. He was cremated in his ancestral village on 31 May, with last rites performed on his farmland.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the killing, calling Moose Wala "a cultural icon of Punjab," ordered an investigation into the security reduction, and announced a judicial commission led by a sitting Punjab and Haryana High Court judge to examine the killing.

Subsequent developments included the arrest of Ankit Sirsa by Delhi police on 3 July as one of the shooters; the killing of gangsters Manpreet Mannu and Jagrup Rupa by Punjab Police on 20 July; and reports of the arrest of an absconding shooter, Deepak Mundi, with differing dates reported (26 July by India TV and 11 September near the Bengal-Nepal border by The Indian Express). Two other accused were later killed and a third injured in a jail fight at Goindwal Sahib Central Jail in Tarn Taran district.

Key facts

Victims
Sidhu Moose Wala
Date
2022
Location
Jawaharke village, Mansa, Punjab, India
Case status
ongoing

Case timeline

  1. 2021

    Akali Youth leader Vicky Middukhera was killed; police say the Bishnoi gang later cited this as motive for Moose Wala's murder.

  2. 2022-05-28

    Police security cover was reduced or removed for 424 people, including Moose Wala, ahead of the Operation Blue Star anniversary.

  3. 2022-05-29

    Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in his car in Jawaharke village, Mansa.

  4. 2022-05-30

    One murder suspect was detained by Punjab Police while hiding among pilgrims at Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib; Delhi unit of INC staged a protest near Arvind Kejriwal's residence.

  5. 2022-05-31

    Moose Wala was cremated in his ancestral village; last rites performed on his farmland.

  6. 2022-06

    Lawrence Bishnoi was held by Punjab Police, who considered him the mastermind of the murder.

  7. 2022-06-03

    Bishnoi allegedly admitted involvement in the murder and a rivalry with Moose Wala.

  8. 2022-06-08

    A bhog ceremony was arranged in Mansa.

  9. 2022-07-03

    Ankit Sirsa was arrested by Delhi police as one of the shooters involved in the killing.

  10. 2022-07-20

    Gangsters Manpreet Mannu and Jagrup Rupa, suspected of involvement, were killed by Punjab Police.

  11. 2022-07-26

    India TV reported Punjab Police arrested the last absconding shooter, Deepak Mundi.

  12. 2022-09-11

    The Indian Express reported Deepak Mundi was arrested near the Bengal-Nepal border.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Ankit Sirsa

    CHARGED

    Arrested by Delhi police on 3 July 2022 for being one of the shooters involved in the killing.

    citation on file

  • Deepak Mundi

    CHARGED

    Reported as the last absconding shooter; arrest reported on differing dates by India TV (26 July 2022) and The Indian Express (11 September 2022, near the Bengal-Nepal border).

    citation on file

  • Bhagwant Mann

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Punjab Chief Minister who condemned the murder, ordered an investigation into the security reduction, and announced a judicial commission to investigate the killing.

    citation on file

  • Manpreet Mannu

    CHARGED

    Gangster suspected of involvement in the killing; gunned down by Punjab Police on 20 July 2022.

    citation on file

  • Satinder Singh

    CHARGED

    Canadian gangster of Punjabi origin, also known as Goldy Brar, who claimed responsibility for the killing, saying his 'Punjab module' carried out the shooting; has criminal cases against him in India.

    citation on file

  • Sidhu Moose Wala

    VICTIM

    Punjabi musician shot dead in his car on 29 May 2022 in Jawaharke village, Mansa.

    citation on file

  • Jagrup Rupa

    CHARGED

    Gangster suspected of involvement in the killing; gunned down by Punjab Police on 20 July 2022.

    citation on file

  • Lawrence Bishnoi

    CHARGED

    Gang leader held by Punjab Police and considered by them the 'mastermind' of the murder; denied claiming responsibility via Facebook post.

    citation on file

Places

Jawaharke village, Mansa, Punjab, India

29.9676, 75.4047

View on the map

Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Punjabi musician Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in his car on 29 May 2022 in Jawaharke village, Mansa, a day after his police security detail was reduced.
Where did the killing happen?
Jawaharke village, Mansa, Punjab, India.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: ongoing. Last verified July 2026.

Sources

  1. Assassination of Sidhu Moose Walawikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. Contemporaneous coverage — BBC Newsnews · BBC News · 2026-07-07
  3. Contemporaneous coverage — ndtv.comnews · ndtv.com · 2026-07-07

Last verified JUL 2026

More cases in India