Sidhu Moose Wala. Photo: Courtesy of Times Music
Three years after the gruesome assassination of Punjabi artist Sidhu Moose Wala, a new documentary by BBC Eye investigates the circumstances surrounding his death, speaking with Goldy Brar, the fugitive gangster who claimed responsibility for the attack.
Sidhu Moose Wala was killed on May 29, 2022, in rural Punjab by six gunmen. In the interview with BBC Eye, Brar, who is currently on the run from authorities, claimed that Moose Wala “made some mistakes that could not be forgiven.” Brar told the BBC, “We had no option but to kill him. He had to face the consequences of his actions. It was either him or us. As simple as that.”
The report suggests that Moose Wala’s perceived association with a rival group in Punjab may have caused tensions with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. An anonymous source cited in the report claims that Moose Wala had allegedly been in touch with Bishnoi on and off over the years, as early as 2018.
Brar told the BBC that his conflict with Moose Wala began after the singer promoted a kabaddi tournament in a village associated with the rival Bambiha gang. Tensions reportedly escalated when Moose Wala performed at the event despite alleged warnings.
The dispute appeared to have been temporarily resolved through Bishnoi’s associate Vicky Middukhera. However, in 2021, Middukhera was shot dead in Mohali, with the Bambiha gang claiming responsibility. Moose Wala’s aide, Shaganpreet Singh, was later named in a police charge sheet for allegedly aiding the attackers and subsequently fled to Australia. Moose Wala denied involvement and was not formally charged by police.
The gangster, who is currently on the run with an Interpol Red Notice on his name, says in the documentary that killing Moose Wala was about wanting the artist to “face punishment for what he’d done.” Brar adds, “He should have been booked. He should have been jailed. But nobody listened to our plea […] So we took it upon ourselves. When decency falls on deaf ears, it’s the gunshot that gets heard.”
Through archival footage and conversations with Moose Wala’s friends, figures such as Indo-Canadian record producer Byg Byrd, UK-based rapper Sunny Malton, Punjabi journalist Kamaldeep Singh Brar, and anonymous sources from the music industry and criminal underworld, the documentary traces Moose Wala’s rapid rise to stardom and growing entanglement with Punjab’s gang rivalries.
The documentary was released on YouTube despite a legal petition filed by Moose Wala’s father, Balkaur Singh, in a Mansa court seeking to halt its broadcast. Balkaur’s lawyer, Satinder Pal Singh, stated that the family believes the documentary could impact the ongoing criminal trial into Moose Wala’s murder and infringe upon their right to privacy.
In May 2022, Moose Wala was shot dead with 24 bullets in his body. While the nation and the world paid tribute and have continually demanded justice, authorities identified six gunmen who were in cars tailing Moose Wala that day. In the last three years, a total of 30 people have been arrested, while two suspected gunmen were reportedly killed in encounters by the Indian police.
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