India

Delhi Court Orders Protective Gear for Two Accused in Haryanvi Singer’s Murder

By Arnabjit Sur

A Delhi court has instructed Tihar Jail to equip two undertrial prisoners, Deepak alias Teetar and Yogesh alias Tunda, with bullet‑proof jackets and chain cuffs on both hands and feet while they are transported to a court in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh. The order, issued by Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Partap Singh Laler of Patiala House Courts on November 3, follows a plea from the accused who feared a “fake encounter” by Uttar Pradesh police during their transfer. The men are charged with the August 26, 2026 murder of Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan, who was shot outside a gym in Shamli’s Kotwali area. Shamli Police arrested the two men and they are currently lodged in Tihar Jail. Their lawyers, Ashish Tiwari and Himanshu Kundu, requested police protection, videography of their transfer, and the specified restraints. The judge noted that the request for chain cuffs came directly from the accused and directed that copies of the order be sent to the superintendent of Jail No. 5 and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Avenue). Investigators suspect members of the Jitender Gogi gang in the killing, alleging that the gang believed Baliyan’s song mocked the 2021 courtroom killing of its leader Jitender Gogi. The gang reportedly threatened Baliyan in 2022‑23 while he was in Delhi, though he claimed his involvement was limited to a music video. The case remains under investigation by the Delhi Police Special Cell.