Under massive flak following singer Sidhu Moosewala's broad daylight murder, the Punjab government has been asked to restore the security cover of 424 people, which was earlier withdrawn by the state. During a hearing in the Punjab & Haryana High Court on Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government conceded that the security of 424 people was stripped away only for a few days, and will be restored from June 7.

A day before Moosewala's murder, the AAP government had highlighted its 'crackdown on VIP culture' on social media and had announced that it downgraded the security cover of the late Congress leader along with several others. “AAP’s government in Punjab is a government of the Aam Aadmi, not of VIPs,” the party had tweeted, highlighting how the security cover of 424 persons including several former police officers, MLAs, and others including Sidhu Moosewala had been scaled down. 

According to Punjab Government sources, Sidhu Moosewala’s cover was reduced from four personnel to two. The late singer’s brother has claimed that this was done despite the knowledge that the Bishnoi gang (which now claims responsibility for the murder) was threatening Moosewala. Ultimately, the youth icon met with a gruesome end and was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Jawahar Ke village.

Sidhu Moosewala murder

In a key development in the murder probe, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) VK Bhawra on Wednesday strengthened the Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of ADGP Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Pramod Ban.

The 6-member SIT will have a new Chairman IGP PAP Jaskaran Singh and two new members including AIG AGTF Gurmeet Singh Chauhan and SSP Mansa Gaurav Toora. Meanwhile, the remaining three other members, SP Investigation Mansa Dharamveer Singh, DSP Investigation Bathinda Vishawajeet Singh, and Incharge CIA Mansa Prithipal Singh will continue to be a part of the probe.

The initial post-mortem report has revealed that the youth icon was hit by nearly 25 bullets from very close range, causing his on-spot death. The presence of gunpowder was also indicated on the singer's body. As per sources, the assailants fired upon him from very close range and the weapon was brought close to his body.

An FIR under sections 302, 307, 341, 148, 149, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 25,27/54/59 of the Arms Act has been registered at Police Station City-1 Mansa. The role of gangsters such as Canada-based Goldy Brar and his associate Lawrence Bishnoi is under the scanner.