Haryanvi singer-YouTuber Ankit Balyan shot dead outside UP gym; attackers flee on bikes

Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside a gym in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district on Wednesday evening, police said.

The attack took place in the Kotwali police station area as Balyan was leaving the gym. According to police, the assailants arrived on two motorcycles and fired multiple rounds at him. He died at the scene.

The killing sparked protests, with Balyan’s family members and supporters blocking the Delhi-Muzaffarnagar road near Verma Market Tiraha, around 50 metres from the crime scene. Police were deployed in large numbers as protesters demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible.

“Several teams have been formed to establish the motive behind Ankit Balyan’s murder and arrest the accused. All possible angles are being investigated,” Shamli SP NP Singh said.

Police are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify the attackers.

Gym owner Ravi Sharma told ANI that Balyan regularly visited the facility and was attacked around 6.30-6.45 pm while leaving after his workout. He said around 15-20 rounds were fired and Balyan was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead.

Akhilesh Yadav condemns killing

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav condemned the murder and criticised the law-and-order situation in Uttar Pradesh. He said the killing had created fear in the region and demanded that investigators examine the possibility of political rivalry as a motive.

Yadav also referred to protests by members of the Jat community, who have demanded the attackers’ arrest.

Panchayat poll angle unconfirmed

There has been speculation that Balyan was planning to contest the upcoming panchayat elections. However, neither authorities nor his associates had officially confirmed this, and there was no immediate evidence linking the speculation to his murder.

Balyan, who hailed from Bantikheda village, had more than 3.66 lakh YouTube subscribers and built a following through Haryanvi songs and performances. He frequently collaborated with other artists.

Several of his videos featured guns, firearms and SUVs, with some of his songs portraying gun culture.

In 2023, an FIR was registered against Balyan after a roadshow in Shamli that police said had allegedly been organised without permission.