Ankit Baliyan shot dead: Family in dark, mother seeks justice in UP

Haryanvi artist Ankit Baliyan was shot dead in Shamli, UP. His grieving mother has demanded justice. SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav has criticized the state's law and order, while police investigate a viral post linking the Gogi gang to the murder.

The mother of Haryanvi artist Ankit Baliyan on Thursday expressed pain over the sudden loss following the tragic killing of her son, stating that they want justice and that her son never did anyone any wrong. Speaking to ANI, Ankit Baliyan's mother demanded justice, maintaining that her son had no malice toward anyone. "We want justice. He never did anyone any wrong," she said.Speaking to ANI, the relatives of late Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan voiced their complete lack of information regarding the attackers after the artist was tragically shot dead outside a gym in Shamli. He said, "The police have assured that action would be taken as soon as possible. We didn't really know the details ourselves. We weren't even at home. To this day, we still don't know who they were or how it happened; we are completely in the dark. We will accept whatever action the police take..."

Political Backlash Over Murder

The remarks came after the murder of Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan, who was gunned down in Shamli. On Thursday, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav voiced concern over the crime situation in Uttar Pradesh following the murder of Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan, who was gunned down in Shamli.SP chief Yadav condemned the killing, alleging that the law and order situation in the state has been rendered null and void, and further claimed that the entire Jat community of UP considers this an attack on itself. Akhilesh Yadav, in a post on X, expressed concern over the "merciless" killing of a Haryanvi singer, highlighting massive public anger and community anguish. "The law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh has been rendered null and void in the manner in which popular singer Ankit Baliyan was mercilessly murdered by firing 18 rounds at him in Shamli, spreading fear across the entire region," he wrote.Focusing on the heartbreaking reaction of Baliyan's mother witnessed on the streets, he further wrote, "The news of the grieving mother of the deceased, cradling her son's body in her lap and mourning on the street itself, is heart-wrenching. The Jat community has raised its demand for the arrest of the attackers right on the streets. The entire Jat community of UP considers this an attack on itself and is furious." The SP chief further called for an inquiry of this murder case from all perspectives. He wrote, "There is a growing demand for the investigation of this murder case to also be conducted from the perspective of political rivalry. Utterly condemnable!"

Gogi Gang Linked to Killing in Viral Post

Baliyan was fatally shot in Shamli district as he stepped out of a gym, while a viral social media post allegedly linked to the Gogi gang claimed responsibility for the murder. The Shamli Police are currently investigating this viral social media post.The viral post claims that Ankit had created a song featuring a similar theme to the killing of Gangster Jitendra Gogi, who was shot dead inside Rohini Court.

Police Investigation Underway

UP: ADG, Law and Order, Amitabh Yash saids, "Ankit Baliyan was murdered yesterday, in the Shamli district. A review of CCTV footage revealed that approximately four individuals arrived on two motorcycles and fired 18 rounds; one bullet struck Ankit Baliyan in the head, resulting in his death at the scene. The UP Police is investigating the matter. Immediately following the incident, a social media post surfaced claiming that the Gogi gang was responsible for the attack and identifying an individual named Bholu Sahab Kuriya as the perpetrator. We hope to solve the case soon; the UP STF has also been deployed to assist in the investigation. Gangs often carry out such acts--or claim responsibility for them--to expand their sphere of influence. The authenticity of the social media post is currently being verified. The family has not yet leveled specific allegations against anyone, nor have they named any suspects... Regarding the investigation's progress, the police are gathering technical data and ground-level intelligence, aiming to swiftly identify the perpetrators and the gang involved so that appropriate action can be taken."

All Angles Being Probed

Police are also examining CCTV footage and probing all possible angles, including old rivalries and personal disputes. The exact motive behind the targeted killing is yet to be established.Following the incident, the SP and DM of Shamli, along with the DIG (Saharanpur Range) and the SP of Baghpat, were immediately dispatched to the scene. The SP and Additional SP of Muzaffarnagar also arrived, and approximately six to seven teams have begun working across various locations and directions.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)