Popular Punjabi singer and Congress politician Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Punjab’s Mansa district on Sunday, a day after the state’s Aam Aadmi Party government withdrew his security.

Several bullets hit the 27-year-old, who was travelling with two friends in a jeep when he was attacked at village Jawahar Ke, Mansa deputy superintendent of police Gobinder Singh said.

Moosewala, who had joined the Congress last year, had been party candidate from Mansa in the recent Assembly elections but was defeated by the AAP’s Vijay Singla.

He was among 424 people whose security was withdrawn by the Punjab police on Saturday.

Mansa civil surgeon Ranjeet Rai told reporters that Moosewala was already dead when he was brought to the civil hospital. He said that two others had suffered bullet injuries and been referred to another hospital.

Leaders of the Congress and other political parties expressed shock at the murder and attacked the AAP government for withdrawing his security.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann said no one involved in the murder would be spared and appealed for calm.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Siddhu Moosewala. Nobody involved will be spared. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fans across the world. I appeal (to) everyone to stay calm,” Mann tweeted.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who had played a key role in bringing Moosewala into the Congress, said he was “shocked beyond belief and expression” and demanded dismissal of the AAP government.

“He was showered with bullets in Mansa just 2 days after @BhagwantMann govt withdrew his security. @AAPPunjab govt has lost moral authority. It must be dismissed,” Warring tweeted.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who had earlier questioned the state government after the names of the people whose security had been withdrawn became public, demanded the registration of a murder case against Mann and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

“We have been warning (the) Punjab Govt to pay attention to Punjab’s situation. I demand an FIR against Bhagwant Mann for negligence of his chief ministerial duties which has cost the life of #sidhumoosewala. Bhagwant Mann along with @ArvindKejriwal should be booked u/s 302,” he said.

Former chief minister Amarinder Singh, who has left the Congress, said law and order had collapsed in Punjab. “'Criminals have no fear of law. AAP Punjab government has miserably failed. Nobody is safe in Punjab,” he said.

Among the others whose security has been removed are former MLAs, two jathedars of the Takht Damdama Sahib and Takht Kesgarh Sahib, heads of deras and serving and retired policemen.

Moosewala, whose real name was Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, was in the past accused of promoting a gun culture in his songs. He was booked on the charge of promoting violence through his song Sanju.

He was also booked under the Arms Act and the Disaster Management Act in Barnala after photographs appeared on social media showing him firing an AK-47 at a firing range during the Covid lockdown.