AMRITSAR/AHMEDABAD, October 8, 2026: A major development has emerged in the murder investigation of Punjabi social media influencer and makeup artist Mad Sandhu, with Ahmedabad Crime Branch arresting a man identified as Parminder alias Kaka in connection with the October 3 killing in Amritsar.
Investigators have described Parminder as an alleged shooter in the case. According to preliminary police information, he is suspected of having played a direct role in the attack in which Mad Sandhu, whose real name was Madhusudan, was targeted by motorcycle-borne assailants on Loharka Road.
The arrest is being treated as the first formal arrest made in the murder investigation. Earlier, Amritsar Police had detained two individuals while examining different aspects of the case, including whether the killing had been carried out as part of a criminal conspiracy involving hired attackers.
According to investigators, Parminder allegedly travelled to Gujarat after the killing and stayed at different locations in Ahmedabad in an attempt to avoid detection. His movements were subsequently traced, following which Ahmedabad Crime Branch carried out an operation and took him into custody.
Police are examining allegations that Parminder was involved not only in the shooting but also in arrangements connected with the motorcycle allegedly used during the crime. These allegations remain part of the ongoing investigation and have not yet been established in court.
Mad Sandhu was attacked on October 3 near a car wash facility on Loharka Road in Amritsar. He had reportedly gone to collect his vehicle when two motorcycle-borne attackers approached and fired at him before fleeing from the scene.
Sandhu was taken for medical treatment following the attack but died from his injuries. The killing prompted Amritsar Police to launch an extensive investigation involving CCTV footage, mobile-phone records, digital evidence and reconstruction of the attackers’ movements before and after the shooting.
Investigators are also examining a possible contract-killing angle. Police have been trying to determine whether the attackers were allegedly hired to carry out the killing and, if so, who planned and financed the operation.
Possible links with individuals associated with the Goldy Dhillon network are also under investigation. Claims of responsibility had circulated on social media following the murder, but police have maintained that such online claims require independent verification before responsibility can be conclusively established.
Police have so far not announced any extremist or radical motive behind the killing. The investigation has instead increasingly focused on a possible criminal conspiracy and the role of professional offenders who may have allegedly been engaged to carry out the attack.
With Parminder now in custody, investigators are expected to question him regarding the alleged planning of the murder, the identity of other people involved, his movements after the attack and any possible financial or logistical support connected with the crime.
Punjab Police are also expected to complete the necessary legal process for obtaining his custody so that he can be questioned in connection with the case registered in Amritsar. Any transfer between Gujarat and Punjab will be carried out through the appropriate judicial procedure.
The arrest could provide investigators with important leads regarding the two attackers seen during the killing and the people suspected of operating behind them. Police are also attempting to establish whether additional individuals assisted the suspects before or after the crime.
Mad Sandhu had built a significant following on social media and was known for his work as a makeup artist and influencer. His killing attracted widespread attention across Punjab and prompted calls for the perpetrators and those responsible for planning the attack to be identified.
The investigation remains active, and the arrest of Parminder does not establish guilt. His alleged role, along with the involvement of any other suspects, will ultimately have to be established through evidence and the judicial process.
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