A new documentary titled The Killing Call has shed more light on the murder of Punjabi singer and rapper Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in broad daylight on May 29, 2022. The documentary includes revelations from Goldy Brar, a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who claimed responsibility for ordering the killing.
According to Brar, Sidhu Moosewala was allegedly involved in the murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera, who was a close associate and mentor to both Lawrence Bishnoi and Brar. This, Brar says, was the main reason Moosewala was targeted.
Sidhu Moosewala, born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, rose to fame for his bold lyrics, flashy persona, and powerful commentary on Punjab’s social and political issues. Originally from a small village in Punjab, he moved to Canada in 2016 to study engineering. He quickly gained international recognition, with more than five billion views on YouTube and collaborations with global artists like Burna Boy.
Despite his fame, Moosewala’s name became entangled in Punjab’s ongoing gang rivalries. In The Killing Call, Brar revealed that Moosewala had a friendly relationship with Lawrence Bishnoi dating back to 2018.
“Lawrence was in touch with Sidhu. I don’t know who introduced them, and I never asked, but they did speak. Sidhu used to send ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’ messages to flatter Lawrence,” Brar said.
A close friend of Moosewala, who did not want to be named, confirmed the connection. “Sidhu said Lawrence Bishnoi called me. Lawrence called him from jail. He said Lawrence liked his music and said Sidhu was doing really well. The communication between the two started in 2017-2018, and continued until after Sidhu moved back to India," the friend said.
Ties with Rival Gangs
Moosewala was allegedly also friendly with members of the rival Bambiha gang. The rift deepened after Moosewala participated in a kabaddi match organised by the Bambiha group, rival gang of Lawrence Bioshnoi.
Sidhu’s manager, Shaganpreet Singh, has been named as the main conspirator in the 2021 murder of Vicky Middukhera. Punjab Police said Shaganpreet helped the shooters by arranging accommodation, providing a car, and identifying Middukhera’s vehicle. A Mohali court has ordered police to begin extradition proceedings against Shaganpreet, who is believed to have fled to Australia.
Police have not found direct evidence linking Moosewala to the murder plot, but Brar and others in the Bishnoi gang were convinced of his involvement.
“Everyone knew Sidhu’s role (in Vicky’s death), the police knew, even the journalists knew. He was using his political power, his money, his resources to help our rivals, those who killed our brother,” Brar said in the documentary. “We wanted him to face punishment for what he’d done. He should have been booked. He should have been jailed but no one heard our plea. So we took it upon ourselves. When decency falls on deaf ears, it’s the gunshot that gets heard.”
He added, “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 day of the murder
On the day of the attack, Moosewala was driving his black Mahindra Thar SUV with a cousin and a friend when gunmen ambushed them. His vehicle was sprayed with bullets, and Moosewala died on the spot. His companions were injured but survived.
Footage taken after the incident showed his SUV riddled with bullets and the windscreen shattered. Six gunmen were later identified. They were armed with AK-47s and pistols.
Police arrested around 30 suspects in the weeks following the murder. Two of the accused were killed in what police described as encounters. Despite the arrests, the full motive remained unclear until the release of the documentary.
Goldy Brar, who is believed to have ordered the hit, was not in India at the time. He is thought to have been in Canada when the murder took place.
Moosewala’s death shocked fans across the globe and drew attention to the growing problem of gang violence in Punjab, where crime and politics often overlap.
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