Mumbai, Aug 26 (IANS) Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan was gunned down by unidentified assailants outside a gym in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

The attackers opened fire on Baliyan as he stepped out of the gym. He was critically injured, and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

As per media reports, the 4 unidentified assailants fired 20 rounds for about two minutes. In the firing, five bullets hit Ankit's car and around 8 bullets hit Ankit. Enraged over the incident, the villagers blocked the road near Verma Market in the city.

Police launched an investigation, including examination of CCTV footage, while his family sought the arrest of the accused.

The singer was a popular face in the Haryanvi entertainment industry, and his digital presence centred heavily on hyper-local Haryanvi pop music videos, swagger-driven portrayals, and podcasts. He became particularly known for songs associated with the contemporary Haryanvi music scene, including Ek Khtola Jail Ke Bhitar, Savidhan, 112 NE and Haridwar Haryane Ka. His music and videos helped him develop a sizable online following, with his YouTube channel reportedly accumulating hundreds of millions of views.

His career was relatively recent, with his professional music journey gaining momentum around 2023. His work reflected the increasingly popular Haryanvi sound that blends regional identity, energetic performances and contemporary production.

His music content prominently featured themes of regional pride, "Desi" attitude, rural grit, and high-energy law-and-order tropes, evident in hit titles revolving around gun culture and local politics.

--IANS

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