LGBTQ influencer Madhu Sudan shot dead in India’s Amritsar

An LGBTQ social media influencer and makeup artist was shot dead by unidentified persons in Amritsar, Punjab, on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Madhu Sudan, popularly known as Mad Sandhu. Police said the accused will be nabbed soon.

The incident took place at Loharka road at around 6:00pm, while Sandhu, the son of retired Punjab Police inspector, was waiting outside a car wash centre for his his vehicle. Two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at Sandhu, before fleeing the spot, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sirivennela said.

Around two to three rounds were fired, with an eyewitness claiming that Sandhu was shot at close range. A purported video of the incident showed Sandhu lying in a pool of blood. He was rushed to a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Based on a statement from the family, police registered an FIR and initiated the preliminary investigation. The motive of the attack was yet to be ascertained, a senior police officer said, adding they were working on multiple angles.

DCP Investigation, Amritsar Commissionerate, Prabhjot Singh Virk said, “…We have leads and will solve the case soon. We have recorded the family’s statement”.

Sandhu had over 2 lakh followers on Instagram and was the founder of Mane Lane Unisex Salon in Amritsar and operated beauty academies offering courses ranging from self-makeup to professional bridal artistry. He faced homophobic trolling on his gay identity, and would hit back saying “God has made me the way I am”.

A few months ago, an audio-video clip went viral featuring a confrontation between Sandhu and a Nihang Singh with the latter objecting to the Sandhu’s social media activities and older video reels, warning him to refrain from content deemed harmful to Punjabi culture and youth. Although Sandhu issued a public clarification stating he had changed his content style and stopped repeating past mistakes, he maintained that old clips were being recirculated intentionally to manufacture unnecessary controversy.