The Killing Call: 2. Four and a half hours

Summary

World of Secrets: The Killing Call – Episode 2: Four and a Half Hours

Introduction

In the gripping second episode of the eighth season of BBC’s investigative podcast World of Secrets, titled "The Killing Call: Four and a Half Hours," hosts Ishleen Kaur and Bobby Friction delve deep into the shocking murder of one of India’s most beloved music stars, Sidhu Moose Wala. Released on June 10, 2025, this episode meticulously traces the events leading up to Moose Wala's assassination, the immediate aftermath, the ensuing investigation, and the complex web of fame, power, and vengeance that underpins this high-profile case.

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The Murder of Sidhu Moose Wala

The episode opens with Bobby Friction recounting the harrowing moment he received news of Moose Wala’s shooting while on holiday in Morocco. At [00:42], listeners are instantly drawn into the chaos as Moose Wala is attacked with over 30 bullets in rural Punjab. The immediate shockwaves of his death ripple through India and the global Punjabi diaspora, raising poignant questions about the motives and implications of such a high-profile assassination.

Notable Quote:

Ishleen Kaur [01:08]: "Sidhu Moosewala, who survived that attack over 30 bullets."

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Immediate Reactions and Emotional Impact

As news spreads, the episode captures the visceral reactions of Moose Wala’s family and fans. Ishleen Kaur narrates the anguish of Moose Wala’s mother, who, outside the hospital, oscillates between anger and profound grief upon learning of her son's death ([21:13] – [21:49]). The narrative poignantly highlights the personal loss and communal mourning, reflecting Moose Wala’s status as a household name.

Notable Quote:

Big Bird [10:18]: "It was akin to an earthquake. Everybody felt it. People that didn't even know him or ever met him felt like they lost a family member."

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Security Measures and Lapses

A critical aspect explored is the reduction of Moose Wala’s security prior to his murder. Gurmeet Singh Chohan, SSP of Mansa’s Organized Crime unit, reveals that seven months before the assassination, there were credible threats against Moose Wala’s life. Despite stringent security measures advised by the police ([18:07] – [18:28]), Moose Wala was seen without bodyguards on the day of his murder. The episode scrutinizes the decision by the new Punjab government to slash VIP security as part of their campaign against "VIP culture," questioning the timing and impact of this policy change.

Notable Quote:

Ishleen Kaur [19:22]: "Had the killers been watching? Had they been staking out Sidhu's house? Or was it just chance that they struck on this day of all days?"

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Police Investigation and Official Statements

The narrative shifts to the immediate police response and the official statement by VK Bhavra, Director General of Punjab Police, who, five and a half hours after the attack, declares that Moose Wala’s murder is a result of gang rivalry ([13:14] – [13:41]). This assertion is met with widespread skepticism and outrage from the public and media. Japinderjit Singh, a seasoned crime reporter at The Tribune, expresses doubts about the police's quick closure of the case without arrests, highlighting the community's distrust in the official narrative.

Notable Quote:

Japinderjit Singh [26:17]: "He [the DGP] did not take many questions. He just stated that Sidhu was shot and killed due to gang rivalry. The lack of arrests and details left everyone questioning the validity of this claim."

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Confession and Ominous Developments

The plot thickens with a chilling confession from an alleged gang member. Ritesh Lakhi, a reporter specializing in Punjabi organized crime, receives a phone call from a man identifying himself as Goldie Brar, who claims responsibility for Moose Wala’s death ([23:15] – [24:08]). Brar details the use of Moose Wala’s preferred weapons—an AK47 and a .45 caliber firearm—adding a personal vendetta angle to the crime. This confession was corroborated by the Anti-Gangster Task Force, lending credibility yet raising further questions about the extent of the criminal underworld involved.

Notable Quote:

Goldie Brar [24:20]: "We have killed Sidhu Moosewala with an AK47 and a .45 bore weapon because these were his favorite weapons. At least he deserved this much of respect."

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Public Outcry and Government Response

The episode vividly portrays the public’s uproar over the perceived mishandling of the investigation. Massive protests erupt, with scenes outside hospitals showing grieving parents and furious fans demanding justice ([20:39] – [21:49]). Sidhu’s parents, especially his mother, become the face of the public outcry, embodying the heartbreak and rage of a community betrayed by the authorities’ swift dismissal of more intricate motives behind the murder.

Notable Quote:

Ishleen Kaur [21:13]: "She puts her hands up in the air and at some point she says, 'Why don't you kill us? Like, take us away as well?'"

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Conclusion and Ongoing Questions

As the episode concludes, unresolved questions linger. Despite the confession, the intricate connections between fame, power, and criminality remain obscured. The Chief Minister of Punjab’s vow to thoroughly investigate the security lapse that led to Moose Wala’s murder underscores the political ramifications. However, the absence of a public response from the state government leaves listeners anticipating the next developments in this high-stakes investigation.

Notable Quote:

Ishleen Kaur [28:26]: "This prisoner is no ordinary prisoner."

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Production Insights

World of Secrets: The Killing Call is a masterclass in investigative journalism, seamlessly blending personal narratives, official statements, and undercover reports. The episode benefits from meticulous production, with contributions from producer Louise Hidalgo, sound designer Tom Brignall, and fact-checkers ensuring the narrative’s accuracy and depth.

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Final Thoughts

This episode of World of Secrets not only chronicles the tragic demise of Sidhu Moose Wala but also paints a broader picture of the volatile interplay between celebrity, security, and organized crime in Punjab. By weaving together firsthand accounts, expert analysis, and emotional testimonies, Ishleen Kaur and Bobby Friction deliver a compelling narrative that keeps listeners engaged and eager for resolution in the subsequent episodes.

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Availability

World of Secrets is available on all major podcast platforms. For new listeners, previous seasons offer a treasure trove of global investigative stories waiting to be uncovered.

Transcript

[Bobby Friction]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

[Luke Lamanna]

Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s, the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal these shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna, on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bobby Friction]

I'm in Morocco on holiday with my family. I'm sitting by a turquoise pool in my swimming trunks and I'm just starting to doze off when my phone, which my wife has asked me to switch off, starts going mad.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Unfortunate news that's coming in right now. Sidhu Moosewala, who was survived that attack over 30 bullets.

[Bobby Friction]

News reports, tweets, messages all begin pouring in and I hear my wife say, bobby, log off. Turn that phone off. This is supposed to be family time, but it's too late. Then I get this anxious feeling. Sidhu Musiala has got Punjab's hopes and fears running through his blood. What's going to happen now in India and in Canada, in Britain? How are we Punjabis going to react?

[Ishleen Kaur]

This was a deadly attack. Clearly intended to ensure that Sidhu Mosawala is killed is the video of the black jeep. Sidhu Busewala. I'm at home in London. I'm on maternity leave and I've just put my three month old baby down for a nap. And then I see a tweet on my phone. It says, Sidhu Musayala's been shot. I look down at my watch. It's 5:45 in the evening in India. Right then, at that very moment, my brother calls from Canada. He's just woken up. He's a massive Sidhu Musiala fan. My whole family is together. We watch rolling updates online. When it's clear that Sidhu's dead, my brother struggles to speak. He hangs up. But there's something nagging at me. For months now, there have been rumors that Sidhu is mixing with the wrong people, that he's too outspoken, that he's upsetting powerful figures. The first question I have though is the same that everyone has what just happened. And then more fawns start ringing.

[Ritesh Lakhi]

I knew his voice. I knew that it was him calling.

[Ishleen Kaur]

This is World of Secrets Season 8.

[Bobby Friction]

The Killing Call, a BBC World Service investigation.

[Ishleen Kaur]

I am investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur and.

[Bobby Friction]

I'm broadcaster and DJ Bobby Friction.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Episode 24 and a half hours.

[Japinderjit Singh]

Punjab was on the boil that day. That whole night, people were gathering at his house in Musa village. Thousands of people meeting, you know, so many were coming. It really shook the core in you that this is a murder which Punjab will not forget.

[Bobby Friction]

Crime reporter Jeepindijit Singh isn't meant to be working that day. He's in downtown Chandigarh, Punjab's capital.

[Japinderjit Singh]

I remember that day. It was my off day. One of the very rare days when I could go out with family. We were watching a movie when I got this message from one of our reporters of the Punjabi trip. He was calling me and then I saw his message. Sidhu Musevala attacked.

[Bobby Friction]

Japindajit rushes from the cinema and calls back the reporter who's at the scene.

[Japinderjit Singh]

He's based in Mansa. So he said that Sidhu Musevalat, he has been attacked. And there was more than half a dozen gunmen. There were two cars, you know, all the sketchy information.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Chapinderjeet gets into his car and heads straight for the office. On his way he calls his editor. He stops briefly to file a couple of paragraphs for the website. As he drives, he's taking deep breaths to try to help the news sink in. Sidhu Musiala is one of Punjab's most famous sons. Then Chhindrajit starts calling his contacts in the police.

[Japinderjit Singh]

So then I check with the senior officials here, check with the anti Gangster Task Force, the Counter Terrorism Unit and other ways of, you know, you're a journalist, you know how to confirm the news. So we were among the first to confirm the attack and that Sidhu was declared dead. And it was so shocking to see a young life, you know, who has made Punjabi singing so popular. True, he was part of several controversies. But to be murdered like this close to his house was really shocking even for a crime reporter like me.

[Bobby Friction]

Japindajit is a handsome man in his early 50s with thick black glasses and a close crop moustache and beard. He works at the Tribune, one of the oldest English language newspapers in India. And he's covered crime in Punjab for 25 years.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Arriving at the big modernist block that houses the newspapers offices, Japindajit runs inside. By now it's gone six in the evening. The newsroom is buzzing, reporters are working the phones. A bank of televisions blaring out the news. The air conditioning is working overtime in the late May heat.

[Japinderjit Singh]

You know, it was madness.

[Ishleen Kaur]

What went through your mind? What were your first thoughts when you had heard that Sidhu was killing, killed.

[Japinderjit Singh]

The first was, oh my God. What has happened and why Sidhu Musevala? You know the first response is always a journalistic response to the situation. How has that happened? Who was involved? What is the police saying? Like you know, mentally we were so occupied with that. And you know there was one thought that if you live by gun, you die by gun. Also because Sidhu Muse Wallah was involved in controversy on gun violence, on gangsterism, on culture. But maybe he was talking about guns but he was a peaceful guy as far as we knew, you know and if Sidhu Musayewala is not on the scene then who's going to benefit? You know that question is big. So those kind of thoughts we had.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Jhapinderjeet has had a feeling for a while now that something is brewing. There had been protests. A new political party had just swept to power in the state elections. And not long ago a very famous player of one of Punjab's favorite sports, the fast paced contact game Kabati had been shot during a match and killed.

[Japinderjit Singh]

You see there was something was going on in Punjab for specifically in last six months or so there was the farmers agitation. There was a political flux in Punjab. The new government had taken over. And you know there's always this fear in Punjab that it may go back to the dark days of terrorism.

[Bobby Friction]

Punjab is India's only Sikh majority state and endured years of violence. In the 80s and 90s.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

Nine people are killed in new riots around the holy city of Emirates.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The Indian government has sealed off the state of Punjab and thrown the army launched a massive attack during the night.

[Bobby Friction]

That was more than three decades ago. The people's memories are still strong of the government using soldiers against Sikh separatists.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Battle of the golden temple has been hard fought and costly. The world mourns Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India assassinated by two Sikh members of Iran bodyguard.

[Japinderjit Singh]

So as a reporter you were feeling some kind of tension was always there. Then it really sank in that you know, he was not just a new subject, he was something else. As a journalist who has been writing about Punjab and who, who has some kind of sensitivity about situation in Punjab knows that this can lead Punjab to anywhere.

[Ishleen Kaur]

A popular Punjabi rapper whose music videos have been viewed by millions around the.

[Big Bird]

World has been shot dead by a gang in India.

[Ishleen Kaur]

News of Sidhu Musiala's death is spreading around the world.

[Bobby Friction]

It is described as one of India's.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Most forceful music exports. Famous Canadian entertainers offered condolences.

[Big Bird]

Fellow rapper Drake shared this photo of.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The the global superstar Drake puts the picture of Sidhu and his mom on Instagram underneath the words rest in peace, Moose.

[Bobby Friction]

Creative but controversial. Seen here with best selling UK rapper Stefan. Sidhu's old college friend Pushpdeep was sleeping when the news came through.

[Big Bird]

And when I woke up, someone told.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Me that Sidhu is no more. I said, no, that couldn't be possible.

[Big Bird]

Like, I opened my phone and right.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Away I got some WhatsApp videos from my cousin. And it was Siddhu's dead bodies, photos and video.

[Sidhu Moosewala]

At that point, I felt my body.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Numb and I literally got goosebumps in my body and I started crying. The music producer Big Bird, who created those early big hits with Sidhu over four years ago, also wakes up to the news.

[Big Bird]

I think it was about maybe 6:30 or 7 in the morning. I received like a few calls from my dad. So I started getting worried. I'm like, okay. My dad never calls me this early in the morning. So when I answered, my dad told me, like, Sidhu passed away and my heart stopped. I was like, in disbelief. It was kind of like an earthquake. And everybody felt it. People that didn't even know him or ever met him, but they also felt like they lost a family member. That's how much he was like a household name.

[Ishleen Kaur]

As he struggles to take in what's happened, Big Bird's mind goes back to something Sidhu once said to him. He shivers thinking about it now.

[Big Bird]

I think it was like after we shot a music video, me and him went for like a walk around the street and we were just talking and he said, just out of nowhere, he's like, bro, you know, like, when I die, I'm gonna die by bullets. And then I turned to him and I said, like, what are you talking about? Like, why are you saying this? Like, what's going on? He's like, bro, trust me, I know. And I was like, bro, listen, just stop. Like, don't say that. And just to put the two and two together, it was just like, mind blown. I was like, there's no way. Like, how is this possible?

[Bobby Friction]

It's only two weeks since Sidhu Musiala dropped a new track. It's called the Last Ride. And it's eerily similar to what happened to Sidhu. The picture on the COVID is the car in which Sidhu's idol, the rapper Tupac Shakur, was shot dead 26 years ago. And one of the first images in the video is a funeral hearse. The glow on the young man's face Sydney sings shows his funeral takes place in his youth. And chillingly, their days in the world are numbered. In the end, their fame becomes their enemy. The track is a eulogy to Siddhu's hero. But listening to it that day, it does feel like a premonition, like Siddhu's predicting his own death. It's now 9:30 in the evening and journalists are are starting to arrive from across India.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Four and a half hours after Sidhu Musiala left his house for that final journey, the head of the Punjab Police calls a press conference.

[Bobby Friction]

Reporters cram into the large room at Police hq, waiting for VK Bhavra, the Director General of Punjab Police.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Finally he arrives. He's neatly dressed, has a silver moustache and a lot of metal ribbons on his khaki uniform. Flanked by two of his officers, he sits down in front of a table full of microphones. He's an experienced investigator, but this is a huge case, one of the biggest murders in India in Punjab for almost 30 years.

[Bobby Friction]

The room falls silent. His manner is businesslike, understated, but his message isn't. We know who did it, he says, and we know why. Case closed.

[Luke Lamanna]

Did you know that after World War II the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke Lamanna and on my new podcast Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal the shocking events that those in power have tried to berry. To hear more, follow Redacted Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke Lamana on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Within minutes of the shooting of Sidhu Musiala, another police team is also on the case.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

I was at my house and around 5:30 I got a call from the.

[Ishleen Kaur]

SSP Mansa Police Officer Gurmeet Singh Chohan from the organized Crime unit is called by a senior colleague.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

So he informed me the attack has taken place on Siddhu Musevala and my first question was is he alive? Is he okay?

[Ishleen Kaur]

The superintendent tells him he's only just hurt himself. He's on his way to the hospital. Khan then rings his boss, the head of the organized Crime investigation unit, for instructions.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

He gave us some directions which we right away started implementing, like getting the borders sealed, interstate checkpoint, set up alert across the state, basic precautions. And since we already knew that he is an important person, it's going to be a very sensational thing. So right from the Word when we got to know, we knew that it is an important investigation that we are going to get into.

[Bobby Friction]

These first hours will be crucial. They need to stop the gunmen from escaping and secure vital evidence like the weapons used in the attack. Lots of people in Punjab have guns and weapons flow across borders. Gurmeet and his team send out an internal police alert.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

That is the protocol for any district police. That's what they do. So the control room is alerted to neighboring police stations, neighboring districts. We share it with them. The type of vehicles, number of persons, kind of persons. And then of course the police goes on the ground gathering facts. So immediately the first lead that we got was that within an hour or so we got to know that there were two vehicles which were used. And one of the vehicles was found abandoned about 2km away from the scene of crime.

[Bobby Friction]

Using the registration number of the abandoned car, police immediately start trying to trace the vehicle's owner. But these things take time.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Before receiving that call from his superior that day, Gurmeet Jahan had his own history with Sidhu Musiala. Seven months earlier, the two men had met when Gurmeet was in charge of overseeing police protection for public figures. Gurmeet had received a tip off from his colleagues elsewhere in India and they had told him that there was a credible threat to Sidhu Musayalla's life. At this point, Gurmeet switches to Hindi so an actor is voicing the rest of what he says.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

So from various sources, we were getting.

[Sidhu Moosewala]

Information from various sources. After talking about it with senior officers, I called Sidhu Musawala and asked him to come into the office. We briefed him on what we knew and told him, you must be very careful. You shouldn't go out without security. Always have security with you. And here are some other do's and don'ts because you know, Punjab has a history of these target killings.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Sidhu was sitting there in the police station with his father and a friend. They looked a bit shocked.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

Obviously they were scared a bit. They were little concerned.

[Sidhu Moosewala]

And they said, is there anything specific? And I had to say, no, we can't say anything for sure. Intelligence is like that, but it doesn't mean it's wrong. And we just guided them on what to do to stay safe.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The main advice police officer Gurmeet Chauhan had for Sidhu was don't leave your house without bodyguards.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

So those are pictures from earlier this.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Evening in Mansa and moments before the attack on him. But now, seven months later, Gurmeet learns on this day that Sidhu Musiala was killed. He'd left his house to visit his aunt with a friend and a cousin, without any security at all.

[Gurmeet Singh Chohan]

Security?

[Sidhu Moosewala]

He had two gunmen and he had two security guards at home. But they couldn't all fit in the suv. So Sidhu told them to follow in another jeep. But when they looked at the jeep, they realized there was really low pressure in the tires. They were flat. So Sidhu said to the security guys, don't worry, it's okay. You stay here. We are not going far. I'll go on my own.

[Bobby Friction]

Did the killers know Sidhu Musiala was going out that day without his bodyguards?

[Ishleen Kaur]

Had they been watching? Had they been staking out Sidhu's house? Or was it just chance that they struck this day of all days? We do know one thing, that something else happened. Something that was out of Sidhu Musayla's control. The murder of a popular Punjabi singer just a day after his security cover was reduced sparks anger. Security had been recently withdrawn by Punjab police. Since one day before the shooting, the new state government in Punjab posted on one of its social media accounts. They're proudly announcing they're fulfilling a key election promise, the post reads. The Aam Aadmi party continues its war on VIP culture. State security of around 400 people in Punjab has been reduced. And One of those VIPs named in the social media post is Sidhu Musiala. That the government of Punjab will have to answer. A young life having been lost in a very tragic incident in Punjab's Mansa district. As news of this spreads, protests begin.

[Bobby Friction]

People are angry. They shout, death to the government. Down with the government. Long live Sidhu. A huge crowd has been gathering outside the hospital ever since news broke of Sidhu's death.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Amongst them briefly, are Sidhu's parents.

[Bobby Friction]

Sidhu's mum and dad. Outside the hospital, Sidhu's mum screaming and shouting and jabbing her finger, talking to the cameras.

[Ishleen Kaur]

She puts her hands up in the air and at some point she says, why don't you kill us? Like, take us away as well?

[Bobby Friction]

Yeah, it's like the moment she stops shouting, her face almost collapses into pure grief. It's almost like swinging wildly between anger and then the worst kind of grief. And then you've got Sidhu's dad, who's almost trying to calm his wife down. Look at that point. Point. He puts his arms on her and she pushes his arms off. But then he's also really emotional.

[Ishleen Kaur]

He's just raising his fist in the air. But I think he's Struggling for words here.

[Bobby Friction]

He looks absolutely broken. That night, it feels like the whole of India, the whole of the Punjabi diaspora, is online sharing their shock and their grief.

[Ishleen Kaur]

A stream of questions, but no answers.

[Bobby Friction]

Then around 6:30, a message drops on social media.

[Ishleen Kaur]

It's from a man calling himself Goldie Brar. He's claiming to be a member of a Punjabi gang.

[Bobby Friction]

His message starts, ram, Ram, Lord, Lord, which is a Hindu greeting. Then Satsriyakaal, which translates to God is truth. And it's how Sikhs greet each other. Then he goes on to claim responsibility for the biggest killing in Punjab for decades. I Goldie Brah along with. And here he lists other names in the Punjabi gang he says he's part of take responsibility for the hit on Siddhu Musiala.

[Ishleen Kaur]

A few minutes later, on the other side of the world in Canada, a phone rings.

[Ritesh Lakhi]

I was speaking to my wife. She was just sitting beside me. It was a Sunday, so I was speaking to her and got a call.

[Ishleen Kaur]

It's the phone of Ritesh Lakhi, a reporter specialising in Punjabi organized crime.

[Ritesh Lakhi]

And it was a missed call from a number that was not known to me. And I just called back. The guy picked up and he was like, there was some kind of lack of breath and agitation in that voice.

[Ishleen Kaur]

And then he says, I just want.

[Ritesh Lakhi]

You to report the right facts and tell the world that I have killed Sidhu Museballa.

[Ishleen Kaur]

For a moment, Ritesh thinks he's misheard.

[Ritesh Lakhi]

So I thought that he was saying or meaning something else. So I said, okay. I asked him, did you get him killed? So he said, yes, I got him killed. And that was in Punjabi, of course. And that was the time when I had to actually stand up from the couch that I was sitting on.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Ritesh recognizes the voice. He's spoken to him before. He's the man who's just gone online claiming responsibility for Sidhu's murder. Kol Di Brar.

[Ritesh Lakhi]

I had spoken to Gol Di Brar twice before that I knew his voice. I knew to a reasonable extent that it was him calling. But it was not even my wildest of dreams that they could go to that extent and hit Siddhu Musevala. And then I did ask him what was the weapon used because I was getting the reports from the media. And he said that, yes, we have got him killed with an AK47 and a.45 bore weapon because these were his favorite weapons. So at least he deserved this much of respect that he should get killed with the weapons he loved and he cherished. It was shocking, very shocking.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Immediately, Ritesh puts out a message on social media about what Goldie Brah has just told him. Less than 30 minutes later, Ritesh's phone rings again. This time it's the head of the anti gangster task force in Punjab, Kurmeet Johan's boss.

[Ritesh Lakhi]

The anti gangster task force did corroborate saying that okay, we also believe that this must be their handiwork. It is possible that they have done it. We believe what he's saying.

[Bobby Friction]

It's not long after that, 10,000 km away in Punjab's capital, that neatly dressed man with a silver moustache and a khaki uniform sits down in front of a table full of microphones, flanked by two of his officers. The head of Punjab Police, Vikay Bhavra is about to address a packed room full of reporters. The room falls silent. He tells them, we know who murdered.

[Ishleen Kaur]

It's an electric moment. Journalist Japinderjit Singh remembers the stampede as his colleagues rush back to the newsroom.

[Japinderjit Singh]

He did not take much questions. He just said that he was shot at and he has been killed. And he announced that, that the murder is a result of a gang rivalry.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Were people surprised that oh, gangs in Punjab have killed Sidhu Moosewallah or was it people alike? Of course, had to be the gangs.

[Japinderjit Singh]

No, People responded very angrily to the police claims that it is gang rivalry. People did not buy it. There was so much of backlash. Even government was not happy, you know, to kill someone like Sidhu Museval as an international icon. It was shock and disbelief and anger at police claim on that day.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Why were people so angry and upset?

[Japinderjit Singh]

He has huge fan following, you know. And without arresting anyone, the DGP of Punjab police goes public with his claim that this is gang rivalry. You can't make this claim without you arrest someone. And police has dismissed it as a result of a gang war. Which means that you are casting aspersions as the victim also. So that was the questions, you know, we were asking ourselves. I mean Sidhu Musaywala's murder can't be just an open and shut case.

[Ishleen Kaur]

What no one in that press conference knew was that earlier that evening there had been another call. Just an hour after Sidhu Musayala was killed, a phone rings in a high security prison in the capital Delhi. The call is later leaked to the media.

[Bobby Friction]

The caller sounds impatient. He asked to speak to one of the prisoners. Put him on the line. He says it's important. The prisoner comes onto the phone and the voice tells him, we killed the Sikh.

[Ishleen Kaur]

What says the prisoner. What did you do?

[Bobby Friction]

We killed the Sikh. We killed Musiala.

[Ishleen Kaur]

You've killed him? The prisoner says.

[Bobby Friction]

Yes, says the caller. We've killed him.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Okay, comes the answer. Cut the call. This prisoner is no ordinary prisoner. That's next time on World of Secrets. After Sidhu Musayla's murder, the Chief Minister of Punjab vowed to leave no stone unturned to bring those responsible to justice and he ordered an inquiry into the decision to reduce Siddhu Musialla's security, his office said, in order to fix responsibility. We asked the Punjab state government about the outcome of the inquiry and for any further comment, they have not responded.

[Bobby Friction]

This has been episode two of five of the Killing Call, Season eight of World of Secrets from the BBC World Service.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The Killing Call is a BBCI production. If you're new to World of Secrets, there are seven previous seasons and they're available for you to listen to right now. World of Secrets the Killing Call is presented by me, Ishleen Kaur and me, Bobby Frixion. It's produced by Louise Hidalgo, Rob Wilson and Eamon Kwaja with script advice from Matt Willis.

[Bobby Friction]

Sound design and mix is by Tom Brignall and the executive producer is Rebecca Henschke.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The editor is Daniel Adamson and the BBC I series producer is Ankur Jain. Original music by Ashish Zakaria, fact checking.

[Bobby Friction]

Is by Curtis Gallant, additional research by Ajit Sarati and Arvind Chhabra. The production manager is Dawn McDonald and the production coordinator is Katie Morrison.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Many thanks to the BBC World Service commissioning team that's behind World of Secrets.

[Bobby Friction]

And thank you for listening.

[Luke Lamanna]

Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal the shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna, on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.