Nihangs Objected to LGBTQ+ Influencer Mad Sandhu's Content Before Killing
· India · Times of India, LiveMint, Hindustan Times
LGBTQ+ influencer Mad Sandhu was shot dead in Amritsar on Saturday evening after being attacked by two men on a motorcycle while collecting his car from a wash. He sustained multiple bullet injuries and died en route to a private hospital. Police have solid leads but have not yet identified the attackers, though they confirmed Sandhu had faced objections from a Nihang group over his social media content, clothing, and old videos. Sandhu, who had 2.26 lakh Instagram followers and acted in the Punjabi film 'Oye Bhole Oye', had spoken publicly about LGBTQ+ rights and faced homophobic trolling. Police said they are investigating multiple angles to establish the motive and have not linked the recent Nihang objections to the killing. The incident echoes the Bathinda killing of Kanchan Kumari over 'immoral' social media content more than a year ago.
Why it matters
The killing highlights ongoing risks faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Punjab who express their identity online, particularly when their content is deemed offensive by conservative groups. It raises concerns about the safety of social media creators and the potential for online disputes to escalate into violence.
Read the original report — Times of India
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