AN INDIAN singer and YouTube star has been shot dead after being accused of composing a song about a notorious gang leader.

Ankiit Baliyan was gunned down after a social media post by a man claiming to be a gang member alleged the singer had made a song about the murder of their leader.

NINTCHDBPICT001103719299Ankiit Baliyan was shot dead outside gym in India earlier this week Credit: Instagram/@AnkiitBaliyann NINTCHDBPICT001103719314He allegedly composed a song about killing a local gang leader Credit: Instagram/@AnkiitBaliyann

Baliyan was attacked on Wednesday evening in the Kotwali area of Shamli, around 60 miles north-east of the capital, New Delhi.

Police said three or four unidentified men arrived on two motorcycles and opened fire as Baliyan left a gym.

He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a nearby community centre, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Police superintendent NP Singh said several teams had been formed to identify and arrest the attackers.

NINTCHDBPICT001103719316Baliyan was rushed to a community health centre, where he was pronounced dead Credit: Instagram/@AnkiitBaliyann NINTCHDBPICT001103719310Baliyan has a strong presence on social media Credit: Instagram/@AnkiitBaliyann

Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the gym and surrounding areas, while police teams have also been sent to Haryana, where Baliyan had been working.

Shortly after the killing, an account belonging to a man identifying himself as Bholu Shahpuria claimed the Gogi gang was behind the harrowing attack.

The gang is named after Delhi gangster Jitender Maan, alias Gogi, who was shot dead by members of a rival gang in 2021.

Gogi’s organisation has continued to operate since his death and has been linked by police to crimes including murder and extortion.

Baliyan was a prominent figure in the Haryanvi music scene and had built a large following online.

His channel had more than 367,000 subscribers, and he also appeared on with local figures.

His music included themes of masculine bravado, with guns, power, and local rivalries featuring prominently.

One of his tracks has amassed more than 54 million views on YouTube.

His death sparked protests in Shamli, with family members and supporters blocking a road near the scene, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.

Baliyan’s father, Satbir Singh, told reporters: “I want the man who killed him. I don’t want anything else. The protest will continue.”

He said his son had no known connections that could explain why he might have been targeted.

A relative said the family are still in the dark about who carried out the attack.

“To this day, we still don’t know who they were or how it happened; we are completely in the dark,” the relative said.

An is ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.