US Rapper Drake has offered condolences at the death of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. Sidhu, who was also a Congress leader, was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the Punjab government curtailed his security cover.
On Monday, Drake took to Instagram Stories to share a picture of Sidhu and his mother. He wrote, RIP Moose and added a bird emoji.
Sidhu, 28, had fought the recent assembly election on a Congress ticket from Mansa and was defeated by the AAP's Vijay Singla.
According to police sources, Canada-based Goldy Brar has claimed responsibility for the murder of Moosewala.
Leaders of Congress and other political parties expressed shock and anger over the killing and blamed the AAP government for the incident.
A three-member Special Investigation Team has been set up to probe the murder, the DGP said.
In a media statement, the state police chief said the singer's security cover was scaled down to free personnel for deployment during the Operation Bluestar anniversary next month.
Two of the four Punjab police commandos deployed with him were withdrawn, he said.
The singer was touted as a youth icon and an "international figure" by the Punjab Congress after he joined the party. His mother is a Sarpanch of Moosa village in Mansa district while his father is an ex-serviceman.
He had established his name as a Punjabi singer with chartbusters like Jatt Da Muqabla, Dollar, So high and Bambiha Bole.