LUCKNOW Haryanvi singer and YouTuber, Ankit Balyan, 32, was shot dead outside a gym in UP’s Shamli on Wednesday evening, allegedly by four armed assailants who fired around 18 rounds at him, said police.
Speculation was rife that Balyan was planning to contest upcoming panchayat polls, but there was no official confirmation from authorities or his associates immediately on it and if that could be the reason behind his killing.
The incident took place around 7pm near the Aryapuri drain embankment. Police said Balyan suffered five bullet injuries and was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Eyewitnesses told police that the attackers were waiting outside the gym and opened fire as Balyan came out and approached his SUV. They allegedly forced open the vehicle’s door and fired at him before fleeing on motorcycles without registration plates, said police.
The killing triggered protests, with Balyan’s family and supporters blocking the Delhi-Muzaffarnagar road near Verma Market Tiraha, around 50 metres from the crime scene. Heavy police force was deployed as protesters demanded immediate arrests and action against those responsible.
“Several teams have been formed to establish the motive behind Ankit Balyan’s murder and arrest the accused. All possible angles are being investigated,” said SP (Shamli) NP Singh.
Police and forensic teams reached the spot and recovered empty cartridges. CCTV footage from the area was being examined to identify the assailants.
Police teams had been sent to possible hideouts in Haryana, including Panipat, and Punjab. Cops suspected the attackers could be from Haryana.
Balyan, a resident of Bantikheda village, had gained popularity through Haryanvi songs, many of which featured gun culture. He also faced an FIR in 2023 after a roadshow in Shamli was allegedly held without permission.
About an hour before his murder, Balyan had posted a video on Instagram in which he was seen sitting in a car and singing ‘murder maar de sadak ke upar’.
