Opposition blames Punjab govt for withdrawing security cover

BATHINDA/CHANDIGARH: Singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, aka Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead in Mansa on Sunday evening, had been given four armed personnel from the India Reserve Battalion of Punjab police. Of these, two were taken off.
The singer was not accompanied by his guards when he left his residence at Moosa village with two companions around 4.30pm. He was not driving his Toyota Fortuner either, which he had bulletproofed following threats to this life.
Appealing for calm, CM Bhagwant Mann tweeted, "I am shocked and deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Sidhu Moose Wala. Nobody involved will be spared." He directed police to form an SIT to probe the murder.
AAP convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal too urged people to maintain calm and peace.
The killing sparked outrage as opposition parties blamed the AAP government for withdrawing security for several people, rendering them vulnerable to attacks.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring tweeted: "@AAPPunjab govt has lost moral authority. It must be dismissed."
BJP's IT cell national convener Amit Malviya tweeted: "Punjab is up in flames! Is popular singer Sidhu Moosewala's cold-blooded murder the change AAP promised? Arvind Kejriwal and Raghav Chaddha, who run Punjab by proxy, must be held accountable for this murder."
The Punjab police chief explained that two commandos were withdrawn from the singer's security because of the Ghallughara anniversary arrangements. "This exercise is undertaken every year to thin out security of various protectees at this time," he said.
DGP Bhawra said the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was involved in the killing because the singer's manager Shaganpreet's name had cropped up in the murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vikramjit Singh, alias Vicky Middukhera, in August last year. Shaganpreet had later fled to Australia.
Bhawra said the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has taken responsibility for the murder on social media from Canada. It is estimated the killers fired about 30 rounds at Moose Wala, who was found slumped in the driver's seat by locals.