Ankit Balyan, a Haryanvi singer and popular YouTuber was shot dead outside a gym in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh Wednesday evening by unknown people, police said. It happened as Balyan was leaving the gym after his workout, in the Kotwali police station area.
Police said the perpetrators arrived in two motorcycles and began firing shots at Balyan. He was critically injured and was killed at the scene. His family members, his supporters and his neighbors are angered by the shocking incident.
After the shooting, the protesters blocked the Delhi-Muzaffarnagar road just around 50 metres away from a crime spot around Verma Market, Tiraha. Demonstrators called for the arrest of the perpetrators and stringent measures against them. A heavy security police presence was mounted in the region to uphold law and order.
The superintendent of police, Shamli, NP Singh has stated that several teams of police have been constituted and the motive behind the murder and the identification of the accused will be sought. All possibilities are being explored and images from CCTV cameras in the area are being analysed by the authorities in their search for the perpetrators.
Ankit Balyan used to go to the gym at regular intervals and Balyan was exiting the gym around 6:30-6:45 pm when the thiggers opened fire, says the gym owner Ravi Sharma. Sharma reportedly said that 15–20 rounds were fired in the attack.
The killing has sparked political reaction as well. President of the Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav, criticized the law and order situation in the state and condemned the incident. He too demanded investigation of the murder’s motives, specifically for an alleged political fight.
Investigations are ongoing but no motive and names have been confirmed for the attacks.