On The Last Ride, thousands bid adieu to Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala
Sukhmeet Bhasin
Mansa, May 31
Thousands of people turned up to bid an emotional farewell to singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala (27), who was cremated at his Musa village in Mansa on Tuesday.
The singer’s body was brought from the Civil Hospital around 8.15 am and kept at his residence, where people, especially youth, reached in large numbers to pay tributes.
While the district administration had made arrangements at the cremation ground, the family decided to hold the last rites on their land in the village.
Moosewala’s body was carried on a trailer pulled by his famous ‘5911’ HMT tractor adorned with his photograph. A sea of mourners tailed the funeral procession to the fields, where the last rites were performed by his father Balkour Singh.
Overwhelmed by the outpour of love and affection, the singer’s father removed his turban and bowed in front of the huge crowd in a show of gratitude. Earlier, his mother tied the ‘sehra’ (headdress) to the slain singer’s turban on his ‘last ride’. A large number of youths, many of whom wearing T-shirts with singer’s photo imprinted on them and holding his photographs, raised ‘Long Live Sidhu Moosewala’ slogans. His female fans also turned out in large numbers.
Shimla resident Tanu, pursuing MCom, rode a bike along with her brother all the way from the Himachal capital to have a last glimpse of her hero. A local girl told The Tribune how the singer paid the college fee of all village girls who wanted to pursue further studies and how he often showed up at the bus stop to protect them from eve-teasers.
The village has been in mourning ever since the killing. Villagers remembered Sidhu as a good human being. They recalled how Sidhu used to plough his fields and discuss ways to bring about development in Mansa district.
On Sunday, unidentified gunmen had shot Moosewala at Jawaharke village.
Father’s moving gesture
Overwhelmed by the outpour of love, the singer’s father removed his turban and bowed in front of the crowd in a show of gratitude. Earlier, his mother tied the groom’s ‘sehra’ (headdress) to the singer’s turban on his ‘last ride’
All the way from Shimla
Shimla’s Tanu, pursuing MCom, rode a bike along with her brother all the way from the Himachal capital to have a last glimpse of her hero.
