Ankit Balyan Murder Case: Two Suspects Killed In Police Encounter In Shamli

Ankit Balyan Murder Case: Two Suspects Killed In Police Encounter In Shamli

Two suspects allegedly linked to the murder of Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan were killed in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli, officials said.

The encounter took place in an industrial area under the jurisdiction of the Sadar Kotwali police station. Further details about the identities of the suspects and the circumstances surrounding the encounter are awaited.

Ankit Balyan was shot dead outside his gym in Shamli last week. CCTV footage of the killing showed at least four men approaching the singer and opening fire before escaping from the scene.

The 1-minute-29-second footage shows Balyan leaving his gym at around 6:45 pm. Dressed in black and carrying a bag, he walks towards his car parked near the gym.

Within seconds, four men approach from the opposite side of the road and begin firing. Police said around 16 rounds were fired in approximately 25 seconds before the attackers fled on two motorcycles.

GANG CLAIM BEING PROBED

Following the killing, a person identifying himself as Bholu Shahpuri from Haryana’s Sonipat claimed on social media that the Gogi gang was behind the murder.

Police are investigating the authenticity of the claim. Officials said four teams have also been sent to Haryana as part of the probe.

Hours before his death, Balyan had shared an Instagram video of himself sitting in his car and singing lines from his song Baby Badmash, which was released last month.

The video featured the line, “Murder maar de sadak ke upar.”

WHO WAS ANKIT BALYAN?

A resident of Shamli, Balyan had more than five lakh followers on Instagram and over three lakh YouTube subscribers.

His popular tracks included Bhari Court Mein Goli Marenge, Body Builder, PTI and Ek Khtola Jail Ke Bhitar. His music frequently revolved around themes of guns, rivalry, fights, SUVs and violence.

According to his brother, Balyan had previously pursued kabaddi at the state level and competed in tournaments in Delhi, Bhopal and other cities until around 2013-14.

He later gave up the sport after suffering a leg fracture and turned his attention to fitness and music. Around 2022, he began pursuing Haryanvi music professionally.

Over the following years, Balyan worked on more than 50 songs as a singer, lyricist and music composer.

The latest police encounter marks a major development in the investigation into his killing, with authorities continuing to establish the motive and identify all those allegedly involved in the shooting.