A murder-themed song posted by 32-year-old Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan about an hour before he was shot dead outside a gym in Shamli is at the centre of the police probe into his killing, with investigators examining whether the post has any connection with the murder.
In the video, recorded from a vehicle, he is seen singing a song containing references to murder. Investigators are trying to establish whether the post was merely a music-related upload or had any connection with the killing. Soon after the murder, a social-media post surfaced claiming that the Gogi gang was behind the attack and naming Bholu Shahpuriya as the alleged perpetrator. Police are verifying the authenticity of the account and the claim. “Immediately following the incident, a social media post surfaced claiming that the Gogi gang was responsible for the attack and identifying an individual named Bholu Shahpuriya as the perpetrator. The probe has been expanded to Shamli, Baghpat and Muzaffarnagar, while four police teams have been sent to Haryana to trace the suspected shooters and establish their movements before and after the crime. The Special Task Force (STF) is assisting the district police in analysing technical and intelligence inputs. Two shooters dressed as lawyers who had opened fire on him were also killed in retaliatory police firing.
The gang had a longstanding rivalry with the Tillu gang, with the feud dating back to around 2010 and being linked to several violent incidents. Gogi was killed inside Delhi’s Rohini court complex in September 2021 during a court appearance.
The authenticity of the social media post is currently being verified,” Yash said.
Police are particularly examining a video Balyan posted on social media around an hour before the shooting.
“The UP Police are investigating the matter, and we hope to solve the case soon.
He said such claims could also be made by criminal gangs to enhance their influence or create confusion during an investigation. The UP STF has also been deployed to assist in the investigation,” Yash said.
