Who Was Mad Sandhu? Social Media Influencer Shot Dead In Broad Daylight In Amritsar

Mad Sandhu, whose real name was Madhusudan Sandhu, was a popular makeup artist, fashion creator and digital podcaster from Amritsar. He was the son of a retired Punjab Police sub-inspector and lived in a residential locality in the city.

Sandhu had built a significant following on social media through content centred on makeup, fashion, memes, vlogs and social commentary. His Instagram account had around 2.26 lakh followers, while his YouTube channel featured longer vlogs and Shorts covering makeup and fashion.

He also spoke publicly about gender identity and expression, a subject that frequently attracted homophobic trolling online. His Instagram profile identified him as the founder of Manelane, a unisex salon based in Amritsar.

Mad Sandhu shot dead in Amritsar

Sandhu was shot dead in Amritsar on October 3, 2026, after unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at him. He sustained critical injuries and died while being taken to a nearby hospital.

A video recorded soon after the shooting surfaced on social media, showing Sandhu lying injured on the road. People accompanying him can be seen rushing to his assistance before taking him to a hospital.

After being informed about the incident, police arrived at the location and secured the area. An investigation was subsequently launched. The identities of those responsible for the shooting and the motive behind the attack have not been established so far.

Was the shooting linked to an earlier controversy?

Reports have suggested that the attack could be connected to a dispute involving Sandhu and Nihang jathedar Manpreet Singh Khalsa that reportedly took place around three months earlier.

During the earlier controversy, members associated with the Nihang side had reportedly raised objections to Sandhu's clothing, social media activity and some of his older videos. He was also allegedly cautioned against creating such content.

Sandhu had responded to the controversy by defending his actions and saying that he had changed aspects of his life and was no longer repeating his previous mistakes. He also claimed that older videos were being circulated and that the issue was being unnecessarily turned into a controversy.