Key shooter in Punjab influencer Mad Sandhu's murder held by Gujarat Police

Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch has arrested a man allegedly involved in the killing of Punjabi social media influencer and make-up artist Mad Sandhu in Amritsar on October 3, identifying him as the shooter who also arranged the motorcycle used in the attack, police said on Thursday.

The accused has been identified as Parminder Prasad alias Parminder Kaka. According to Ahmedabad Crime Branch DCP, Ajit Rajian, Parminder carried out the firing that killed Sandhu and arranged the motorcycle used by the assailants.

“His role is that of the shooter. He did the firing and also arranged the bike,” Rajian told IANS. The arrest followed an input from Amritsar Police and coordination between the Punjab and Gujarat police teams.

The accused was traced to Ahmedabad, where the Crime Branch took him into custody as part of the investigation into the murder.

"A case has been registered as FIR No. 186/2026 under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Cantonment Police Station in Amritsar. Further legal proceedings are underway," he confirmed.

Sandhu, whose real name was Madhusudan Sandhu, was shot on October 3 by two motorcycle-borne assailants near a car wash centre on Loharka Road in Amritsar.

Police had said the attackers opened fire before fleeing from the spot. Sandhu was taken to a private hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The killing had initially led police to examine several possible angles. Investigators collected CCTV footage from the area and examined Sandhu's movements and digital records to identify the attackers.

Amritsar Police had reportedly detained two persons while probing a possible contract-killing angle.

Sandhu, 29, had a substantial following on social media and was known for his work as a make-up artist and for speaking about make-up artistry and gender-related issues on podcasts and digital platforms.

He had more than two lakh followers on Instagram and had also appeared in the Punjabi film 'Oye Bhole Oye'.

The case also drew attention after social-media posts allegedly linked to foreign-based gangsters claimed responsibility for the killing.

However, Punjab Police had earlier said the authenticity of such posts had not been established. Investigators have also been examining possible links to the network of gangster Goldy Dhillon.

The latest arrest is expected to help investigators establish the sequence of events leading to the killing, identify other persons involved and determine the circumstances surrounding the alleged contract killing.

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