"Thought They Were My Fans": Singer-Rapper Rahul Fazilpuria On Gun Attack To NDTV

Haryanvi singer-rapper Rahul Fazilpuria, who narrowly escaped unharmed after assailants fired at him in Gurugram earlier this month, said that he initially thought the attackers were his fans. Fazilpuria, whose real name is Rahul Yadav, told NDTV that he was saved since he reversed his car quickly when he heard gunshots.

"The attack was so sudden. At first, I thought they were my fans. Then I heard two rounds of firing...I was saved as I reversed my car quickly," he said.

Two shots were fired at the singer's car at Badshahpur Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) in Gurugram on the night of July 14. He was driving through the village in Sector 71 when the attack took place. The bullet reportedly hit the pole installed in the middle of the divider, as bullet marks are seen on it. A total of two shots were fired at Fazilpuria - and he managed to escape both with no injuries.

Two days after the incident, a man named Sunil Sardhania - said to be Fazilpuria's close friend - claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media post. He named Deepak Nandal, a music producer, and Indrajit Yadav, an alleged member of the Himanshu Bhau gang, as those involved. According to Sardhania, Fazilpuria had taken Rs 5 crore from Nandal and was not returning it. He threatened to kill one of Fazilpuria's associates every month, for 10 months, if he fails to repay the loan.

However, Fazilpuria thinks that the post is "fake".

"Those who have taken responsibility for the attack on social media...Sunil Sardhania and Deepak Nandal are my friends. They have worked with me. I think someone has made a fake responsibility post in their name. I don't know the third person named in the post - Indrajit Yadav," Fazilpuria told NDTV.

Haryana Police sources identified Sunil Sardhania as a resident of Rohtak with several criminal cases registered against him. In 2024, he had fled abroad on a fake passport. His family members are being interrogated by the police over the Fazilpuria attack. The second accused, Deepak Nandal, is a music producer and rapper in the Haryanvi music industry. He had made many hit songs with Fazilpuria and rapper Badshah such as 'Haryana Roadways', '2 Money Girls', and 'Kar Gayi Chul'.

The police have also arrested a suspect named Vishal, linked to the firing incident.

'Got threats'

The singer-rapper, speaking to NDTV, said that he received many threats after the murder of Sidhu Moosewala - who was shot dead while driving in Punjab's Mansa district on May 29, 2022.

"I got the threats because I had said Sidhu Moosewala's murder was wrong. Earlier, I received threats in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi. No one was arrested. They gave me security for some time, but removed it three months ago. Even when I went to the police station after the recent firing incident, I got a threatening call. I am in danger," Fazilpuria said.

According to the singer, threatening artists and singers has become a trend.

"This is what is happening these days, someone goes abroad, gets a SIM card there and sends two shooters, this has become a trend," he said.

Fazilpuria, a friend of YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT Season 2 winner Elvish Yadav, was in the news last year when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned him in a money laundering case. He had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Gurugram constituency, representing the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP). He, however, did not win and was defeated by BJP's Mukesh Sharma - who secured a victory by a margin of 1.22 lakh votes.