YouTuber and popular Haryanvi singer Ankit Balyan was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside a gym in Shamli district on Wednesday evening.
The incident took place when Balyan was coming out of the gym.
A viral social media post allegedly linked to the Gogi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder.
The viral post claimed that Balyan had created a song featuring a similar theme to the killing of Gangster Jitendra Gogi, who was shot dead inside Rohini Court.
The Shamli Police are currently investigating the viral post.
There were also reports that there was speculation that Balyan was planning to contest upcoming panchayat polls. However, there was no official confirmation from authorities.
"The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, and an investigation is underway. Police teams have been formed to arrest the accused," said Superintendent of Police M.P. Singh.
The police said that the assailants arrived on two motorcycles and opened several rounds of fire at Balyan. A total of four assailants are suspected to be involved in the firing.
Police are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify the attackers.
Balyan, hailing from Banti Kera, was a YouTuber with over 3.66 lakh subscribers. He featured in his videos as a singer and performer with different collaborators. Several of his videos showed the use of guns, firearms and SUVs.
"Work has begun on analysing technical footage and pursuing other investigative leads. A large team has been sent to Haryana to work on the case," said ADG Meerut.
The incident came to light after an emergency call was placed to Dial 112, prompting local police teams to rush to the scene.
