SHAMLI, Uttar Pradesh: Indian singer, actor and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan was shot dead outside a gym in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday evening, in an attack police are investigating as a possible targeted killing.
Baliyan was leaving the gym in Shamli, about 100 kilometres northeast of New Delhi, at around 6:45–7 p.m. when three to four armed attackers arrived on two motorcycles and opened fire, according to police.
He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a nearby health centre, where doctors pronounced him dead. The attackers fled the scene and no arrests had been announced at the time of reporting.
Police have formed several teams to identify those responsible and determine the motive. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the gym and surrounding streets and are also tracing the attackers’ movements.
Alleged gang connection
The investigation took a new turn after a social media post allegedly linked to the Gogi gang, a criminal organisation associated with Delhi gangster Jitender Gogi, claimed responsibility for the killing.
The post, attributed to a man identifying himself as Bholu Shahpuria, alleged that Baliyan had composed a song connected to the killing of Gogi and suggested that the singer had links to the gang’s rivals.
Police have not independently confirmed the authenticity of the post or established that the Gogi gang was behind the shooting. The alleged connection remains one of several lines of investigation.
Jitender Gogi was killed inside a courtroom in New Delhi in 2021 during a shootout involving members of a rival gang. The organisation associated with him has subsequently been linked by Indian authorities to crimes including murder and extortion.
A growing online following
Baliyan, from Shamli district, had built a significant following through Haryanvi-language music, acting, podcasts and YouTube content.
He had more than 360,000 YouTube subscribers, while several of his music videos had attracted millions of views. His work often centred on rural identity, regional pride, power, politics and themes of violence and bravado.
His best-known songs included “Bhari Court Mein Goli Maarenge Meri Jaan,” “112 NE,” “Goli Ke Barood,” “Jaat Jatni,” “Agla Janam Jaat,” “Savidhan,” “Wait,” “System” and “Riflein.”
One of his songs, Bhari Court Mein Goli Maarenge Meri Jaan, reportedly received more than 54 million YouTube views. Its violent imagery has attracted renewed attention following his death, although there is no confirmed evidence that the song itself was the reason he was targeted.
Baliyan had also worked with other performers in India’s Haryanvi music industry and expanded his presence online through podcasts and social commentary.
Other possible motives under investigation
Police are not limiting the investigation to the alleged gang claim. Authorities are examining possible personal rivalries and other circumstances surrounding Baliyan’s activities.
Reports have also said that Baliyan was considering entering local politics and preparing to contest district-level local elections. Police have not established any connection between those reported political ambitions and his killing.
According to investigators, Baliyan had been regularly visiting the gym for about a year and was attacked as he walked towards his vehicle after finishing his workout.
Protests demand arrests
The killing has sparked anger among Baliyan’s family, supporters and local residents. Protesters reportedly blocked the Delhi-Muzaffarnagar Road, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.
Authorities are continuing to analyse CCTV footage, identify the attackers and verify the social media claim.
With no confirmed motive or arrests so far, investigators are examining whether the killing was connected to organised crime, an existing rivalry, Baliyan’s public activities or another personal dispute.
The case has also renewed concerns about the intersection of India’s rapidly growing regional music and social-media industries with local political rivalries and organised crime.
