Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside a gym in Shamli district on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred in the Kotwali police station area as he was leaving the gym. He died on the spot.
According to police, the attackers arrived on two motorcycles and fired several rounds at Balyan. Superintendent of Police M P Singh said officers reached the location after receiving information about the shooting. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and an investigation is under way. Police teams have been formed to identify and arrest those responsible. Officials are examining CCTV footage from the surrounding area.
Balyan had a substantial following online, with more than 3.66 lakh subscribers on his YouTube channel. He appeared in videos as a singer and performer, often collaborating with others. Some of his content featured firearms and SUVs.
There has been speculation that Balyan was considering contesting the upcoming panchayat elections, though no official confirmation has come from authorities or his associates regarding this or any possible link to the attack.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav described the killing as highly condemnable. He stated that the manner of the murder, involving multiple rounds of firing, reflected a breakdown in the law-and-order situation and had generated fear in the region. Yadav characterised the incident as an attack on the Jat community and noted that the community was demanding the immediate arrest of the perpetrators. He also called for the investigation to examine the possibility of political rivalry as a motive. Reports of Balyan’s mother grieving beside his body were described by Yadav as particularly distressing.
Police continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the shooting.