Mad Sandhu killing: vanishing social media posts and Punjab’s queer history
The killing of Mad Sandhu has left police chasing unverified online claims while queer voices in Punjab draw attention to a history of gender and sexual expression that predates today’s anxieties over visibility
On a busy commercial-cum-residential lane in Amritsar, the community is grappling with the aftermath of a violent crime against a vulnerable member of Punjab's society. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQA+) influencer and makeup artist, Mad Sandhu, was shot dead by unidentified individuals on a bike.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQA+ community, as it marks the first such crime against a member of this community in Punjab despite longstanding discrimination faced by this group.
Shortly after the murder, social media posts claiming responsibility for Sandhu's killing appeared, but these posts have since vanished from the platform. One such claim was attributed to the handle Goldy Dhillon. The police investigation is ongoing, and Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, Harmanbir Singh Gill stated that they are examining the case from multiple angles and cannot verify the authenticity of the social media posts as they originate from abroad.
The murder of Mad Sandhu has sparked reactions from both the LGBTQA+ community in Punjab and the political spectrum. Manu, a member of Queering in Chandigarh, stated that this incident is especially significant as it is the first such crime against an individual from the LGBTQA+ community in Punjab. He highlighted that most films and songs in Punjab ridicule or mock queer people, and the community is horrified by the murder.
Dhananjay Chauhan, the first transgender to have enrolled in Panjab University, traced the roots of queerism in Punjab to the Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb in Delhi, and the story of Madho Lal, a 16th-century Sufi poet who shared a romantic bond with Shah Hussain.
The Sikh radical groups have also been under scrutiny following the murder. One audio-video clip allegedly shows a confrontation between Sandhu and Nihang jathedar Manpreet Singh Khalsa. A statement from the Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, emphasized that they are viewing this case from multiple angles and are confident in cracking it soon.
Several pro-feminism and LGBTQA+ collectives in the region have issued statements condemning the murder and expressing concern over the threats faced by the community. Harpuneet Kaur, a member of Punjab Feminist Union of Students (PFUS), emphasized that Sikhism is about fighting inequality and that the murder can further intimidate the LGBTQA+ community, especially with the repeal/replacement of Section 377 in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in 2024.
She questioned the double standards of those who claim to uphold Sikhism while threatening or harming the oppressed.
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