Sidhu Moose Wala murder: Three years after the brazen daylight murder of Punjabi music icon Sidhu Moosewala, the man who ordered the hit—gangster Goldy Brar—has finally spoken publicly. In a rare and disturbing interview with BBC Eye, Brar justified the killing and said he had “no remorse whatsoever” over what he claimed was an act of retribution.
Sidhu Moose Wala murder
On May 29, 2022, 28-year-old Sidhu Moosewala was ambushed and killed in broad daylight near his native village in Punjab. Driving his black Mahindra Thar SUV, he was cornered by two vehicles and sprayed with bullets—24 of which hit him, according to his post-mortem report. His cousin and friend survived the attack.
The killing shocked the nation. Moosewala, born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, had risen from a rural Punjabi background to become a global hip-hop sensation, known for his unapologetic lyrics and raw social commentary. His music attracted over five billion YouTube views and charted internationally.
Soon after the murder, gangster Goldy Brar claimed responsibility in a Facebook post. Now, in an extensive six-hour exchange with the BBC, he coldly laid out the reasons why he ordered the hit.
“In his arrogance, he made some mistakes that could not be forgiven,” Brar said. “It was either him or us.”
Why did Brar kill Moose Wala?
Brar, believed to be in Canada, is a key member of a criminal syndicate run by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Brar revealed that Moosewala had prior contact with Bishnoi and even tried to curry favour with him. However, things soured when Moosewala promoted a kabaddi tournament linked to Bishnoi’s rivals—the Bambiha gang.
According to Brar, the dispute might have ended there, but it reignited after the killing of Bishnoi ally Vicky Middukhera in 2021. Police linked the crime to Moosewala’s manager, Shaganpreet Singh, who fled India and is now believed to be in Australia.
Though no direct evidence tied Moose Wala to the murder, Brar claimed Moosewala was complicit. “Everyone knew Sidhu’s role,” he said, adding that police, journalists, and even politicians were aware but did nothing. “So we took it upon ourselves… When decency falls on deaf ears, it’s the gunshot that gets heard.”
When asked why he chose to take the law into his own hands, Brar dismissed the idea of justice in India. “Law. Justice. There’s no such thing,” he said. “Only the powerful can get justice.”
He added that even Vicky Middukhera’s politically connected brother struggled to get justice legally. “I did what I had to do for my brother. I have no remorse whatsoever.”
Moosewala’s killing not only eliminated a cultural icon, but also inadvertently elevated Brar and Bishnoi into infamy. Their names became widely known, and journalists say this visibility boosted their extortion network.
“This is the biggest killing in decades in Punjab,” said journalist Ritesh Lakhi as quoted by BBC. “The gangsters’ capacity to extort has shot up.”
Even local business owners now face threats, according to reporter Jupinderjit Singh. Though Brar denied extortion was the motive behind the murder, he did admit its role in the gang’s operations: “We have to extort people. To get money, we have to be feared.”