Mad Sandhu Murder Was Planned, Shooters Chased Him Before Attack: Cops

The murder of Punjabi social media influencer and makeup artist Mad Sandhu may have been a planned attack, police said on Sunday. Cops have claimed that Sandhu was being followed before the accused shot him dead.

Mad Sandhu, one of the most well-known LGBTQ personalities of Punjab, was shot by two men on a bike on Saturday at a car-washing point on Loharka Road in Amritsar. He died while being taken to the hospital.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill, who visited the crime scene, said preliminary investigation indicates that Mad Sandhu was being tracked before the shooters targeted him.

According to the Commissioner, the accused followed Sandhu and opened fire after he reached the car-washing point. The shooters fled towards Loharka Road after attacking him.

Gill said investigators have information about who allegedly carried out the murder as well as who planned it. He indicated that the investigation could soon lead to major disclosures in the case.

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Mad Sandhu was cremated on Sunday after a post-mortem examination, as family members bid him an emotional farewell amid a heavy atmosphere. The final rites were performed amid scenes of deep sorrow, with relatives and loved ones in tears.

Police said they have gathered several crucial leads and are working to identify all those involved in the killing of the popular social media influencer.

Investigators are now probing the motive behind the alleged planned killing and the wider conspiracy, while efforts are underway to trace and arrest the accused.

Madhusudan, who went by the name Mad Sandhu on social media, faced constant homophobic trolling before he was killed. He had embraced his sexual orientation and would often say, "God has made me the way I am."