25 seconds, 12 bullets: Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan's killing caught on CCTV

CCTV footage shows Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan being followed and shot dead outside a gym in UP's Shamli. The Gogi gang has claimed responsibility for the killing.

In Short

• CCTV footage showed 4 shooters following Baliyan as he walked towards his car
• Police said 12 rounds were fired by the gunmen, including shots in the air
• Gogi gang claimed responsibility, cops suspect shooters may have come from Haryana

CCTV footage has surfaced showing the moments before Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan was shot dead outside a gym in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli.

The footage shows Baliyan, 35, stepping out of the gym around 6:45 pm on Wednesday with a kit bag in his hand. He walks toward his car.

Four men, the suspected shooters, follow him. One of the assailants, dressed in black, can be seen holding a gun. The attackers open fire as Baliyan approaches his vehicle.

A barrage of bullets follows. Gunshots ring out intermittently for about 25 seconds.

The shooting sends commuters and pedestrians into a panic. People peer out from nearby shops but quickly duck back inside as the firing continues.

Police sources said 12 rounds were fired in all. The shooters also fired into the air, apparently to spread terror.

The attackers used .30- and .32-caliber pistols, police sources said. The weapons are considered sophisticated firearms.

Baliyan’s post-mortem examination will establish how many bullets struck him and the exact nature of his injuries.

The singer was critically injured in the attack and was taken to a community health center, where he was declared dead, police said.

The murder took place about 15 kilometres from the Haryana border. Police suspect the shooters may have come to Shamli from Haryana.

Baliyan, a resident of Banti Kheda village in Shamli, had made a name for himself in the Haryanvi music industry. His YouTube channel had more than 3.68 lakh subscribers.

His songs often featured guns, fights and SUVs. Many of his lyrics revolved around violence, defiance and rivalry. Several of his songs had drawn millions of views.

His final Instagram post was uploaded about two hours before his death on Wednesday. In the video, Baliyan is seen sitting in his car and singing a Haryanvi song that includes the line, “Murder maar de sadak ke upar (murder on the road)”, an eerie foreshadowing of how he meets his end.

Baliyan was also known for his song Bhari Court Mein Goli Maarenge Meri Jaan whose title translates to “We’ll shoot you in court, my love.”

The notorious Gogi gang has claimed responsibility for the killing. In a social media post, the gang alleged that Baliyan was in contact with its rivals and had composed a song about an incident involving the gang.

A post from the Instagram account of Bholu Shahpuria, who is reportedly associated with the gang, said, “This is just the beginning, everyone’s turn will come.”

The post also threatened the Uttar Pradesh Police and warned of more incidents similar to Baliyan’s killing.

Police have registered a murder case against four unidentified assailants based on a complaint filed by Baliyan’s father. Several police teams have been formed to identify and arrest the attackers, officials said.

- Ends
With inputs by Arvind Ojha