Two shooters allegedly involved in the murder of Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan were killed in an encounter with Shamli Police and the SWAT team, officials said. The accused were identified as 24-year-old Sumit and 22-year-old Mohit, both carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 each.
Police said Sumit and Mohit were among the four shooters involved in Baliyan’s killing. Two other suspects allegedly carried out reconnaissance and identified the singer’s location before the attack. So far, police have identified six people as being involved in the case.
Ankit Baliyan Shot Dead Outside Gym
Ankit Baliyan, a popular 35-year-old Haryanvi singer, was shot dead by four armed attackers outside a gym in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh.
CCTV footage reportedly showed the four assailants opening fire at Baliyan. Around 12 rounds were fired before the attackers fled, causing panic in the area.
Baliyan was known for songs including Bhari Court Mein Goli Maarenge Meri Jaan, which had become popular in the region.
Encounter Took Place on Kairana Road
According to police, the encounter took place near an Indian Gas godown on Kairana Road. Teams from Shamli Kotwali Police, Jhinjhana Police and the SWAT team were involved in the operation.
Police said the suspects opened fire at officers and were injured in retaliatory firing. They were taken to the District Joint Hospital in Shamli, where doctors declared them dead during treatment.
Two SWAT team head constables, Harvinder and Pradeep, were also injured in the encounter.
Weapons and Motorcycle Recovered
Police recovered several weapons and other items from the encounter site.
These included pistols, live and spent cartridges, a Splendor motorcycle, a bag, a mobile phone and Rs 5,000 in cash.
Police Say Suspects Opened Fire During Checking
Shamli SP Narendra Pratap Singh said police had intensified checking across the district following Baliyan’s murder. A blockade plan was implemented between midnight and 6 am to check vehicles entering the district.
At around 4 am, Jhinjhana SHO Virendra Kasana spotted a motorcycle coming from the Karnal side. When he tried to stop it, the two men allegedly opened fire.
Kasana escaped, but a bullet hit his vehicle. He immediately alerted other police teams, following which the suspects fled towards Kairana.
Police said the suspects again opened fire when Kotwali SHO Dharmendra Gautam tried to stop them near the Manna Madra bridge. The firing reportedly shattered the windshield of his vehicle.
Other police teams were alerted, and the suspects eventually reached an area where police personnel had gathered, leading to the encounter.
Father Says Family Has Got ‘Half Justice’
Ankit Baliyan’s father, Satveer Singh Balyan, said the encounter had brought the family “half justice” and demanded action against the remaining accused.
He also thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the police for the action.
Police said preliminary checks showed that Mohit had around 14 criminal cases registered against him in Haryana, while Sumit reportedly had one case against him. Their complete criminal histories are being checked.
Gogi Gang Had Claimed Responsibility
The Gogi gang later claimed responsibility for Baliyan’s murder. The gang referred to the singer’s alleged links with its rivals and also mentioned a song associated with him as among the reasons for the attack.
A social media account reportedly linked to the gang also issued further threats.
Police, however, are still investigating the motive behind the murder and are looking into different angles, including old rivalries and possible political or election-related connections.
Eight Police Teams Formed to Investigate Murder
Additional Director General Amitabh Yash said two shooters linked to the Gogi gang had allegedly conducted reconnaissance of Baliyan’s movements in Shamli on August 20, days before his murder.
The suspects reportedly stayed at Surya Hotel in Shamli and submitted identification documents during check-in. Police later examined CCTV footage from the hotel, which reportedly provided important leads.
Following the murder, Meerut Zone ADG Bhanu Bhaskar ordered an intensified investigation. Eight police teams were formed to conduct raids in Haryana and other locations, trace the suspects and recover the weapons allegedly used in the murder.
Investigators are also examining CCTV footage, call records and other evidence to establish the full sequence of events surrounding Baliyan’s killing.
