An LGBTQ social media influencer and make-up artist has been shot dead by two men on a motorcycle in broad daylight.
Madhusudan Sandhu was waiting outside a car wash when the gunmen opened fire at around 6 pm on Saturday (3 October).
Two or three shots were fired before the attackers fled the scene.
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An eyewitness claimed the influencer was shot at close range.
He was rushed to a private hospital but died from his injuries in Amritsar, Punjab, India.
Police are investigating and said the motive for the killing has not yet been established.
Police investigator Prabhjot Singh Virk said: “We have leads and will solve the case soon. We have recorded the family’s statement.”
The victim, better known as Mad Sandhu, had more than 200,000 Instagram followers.
He was the founder of Mane Lane Unisex Salon in Amritsar and ran beauty academies offering make-up courses and professional bridal artistry.
Sandhu was openly gay and had faced homophobic abuse online, as reported by Need To Know.
Months before his death, Sandhu was involved in a viral confrontation with a Sikh religious figure who objected to his social media content.
Police are investigating the killing from multiple angles.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill said: “The investigation is going in the right direction and we will crack it soon.”
Sandhu had also appeared in the Punjabi film Oye Bhola Oye, as well as music and web productions, and had become a prominent figure in Punjab’s LGBTQ community.
He was also reportedly set to appear as a wildcard contestant on reality TV show Bigg Boss later this month.
The Queer Hindu Alliance condemned the killing, saying: “Invoking faith to justify hatred and violence is unacceptable.”
Sandhu had previously spoken about accepting himself despite the abuse he faced.
He said: “Life is very short. You don’t live again and again. Accept yourself for what God has made you.”
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