Two detained over suspected ‘contract killing’ death of gay influencer Mad Sandhu
Mad Sandhu (Instagram/its_madsandhuofficial)
Police in Amritsar, India say they are investigating a possible contract killing in the shooting death of LGBTQ+ activist and makeup artist Mad Sandhu, with two people detained for questioning.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Harmanveer Singh Gill said officers are looking into the possible role of gangsters, and that it was a murder-for-hire incident.
He said, as per NDTV, police are working to establish the detainees’ links to the crime and trace the main shooters, as well as an alleged mastermind.
Sandhu, a well-known Punjabi influencer and makeup artist, was killed in Amritsar on 3 October when two men on a motorbike shot him. He was found lying on the road after sustaining a gunshot wound.
What have police said about the investigation?
Gill said investigators had made a major breakthrough and appealed for patience, saying more facts were expected to emerge within 24 hours. The identities of those questioned has also not been announced.
Gill also said no extremist or radical angle had been established, with the investigation focused at this stage on the possibility of a criminal conspiracy involving hired gunmen.
A Facebook post from a handle “Goldy Dhillon” shared soon after the killing claimed responsibility for Sandhu’s death, saying the makeup artist had “spoilt” Punjab. The claim is unconfirmed.
Police had earlier suggested the killing may have been targeted, after initial enquiries indicated Sandhu had been followed before the shooting.
Who was Mad Sandhu?
Sandhu was a prominent figure in the Punjabi-language creator scene, and often appeared as a guest on podcasts discussing makeup, entertainment, and gender issues.
He was out gay, and a prominent LGBTQ+ personality in the region. Sandhu reportedly faced constant homophobic trolling, which he would brush off saying: “God has made me the way I am.”
LGBTQ activists and queer public figures in India often face online harassment and threats, particularly when they are highly visible on social media. Same-sex relationships are legal in India, but there is no nationwide legal recognition of same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ people can still face discrimination and stigma.
