Slain Haryanvi Singer's Family Demands Full Justice, Action Against All Accused
Family of slain Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan demands stringent action against all accused, saying only two have been caught and the main conspirators remain free.
The family of Haryanvi singer and actor Ankit Baliyan, who was fatally shot in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district on August 26, has demanded stringent action against all those involved in his murder. Speaking at his Terahvin ceremony on Wednesday, his wife Swati said the family has not received complete justice as only two accused have been apprehended so far.
"We have not been given complete justice yet. Only two accused have been caught so far. I have heard that the main accused is from a very good and wealthy family. We are from a rural family and do not have a large family," she said.
Swati urged the government to ensure that the main accused does not escape the law and appealed to political leaders, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, to refrain from politicising the matter. "We want justice. Our financial situation is also not good. We have put all the family's wealth into him. Our family is in debt and our only son is gone," she added.
Baliyan's sister-in-law, Reena, also demanded punishment for all those responsible, claiming that eight to ten people were involved. "It is important to reach the root of the tree, not just cut its branches. Otherwise, the same network could emerge again and destroy someone else," she said. Reena expressed satisfaction with the police investigation so far and said she had conveyed the family's concerns to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna has said the investigation revealed the involvement of a network linked to the Gogi gang. Police have also stated that two prime suspects were killed during a police operation following the murder. Shamli Police had launched a district-wide vehicle-checking operation to prevent suspects from escaping, during which encounters took place with the fleeing criminals.
The investigation into the social-media claim of responsibility and the broader network behind the killing remains underway.