Deep Sidhu dies in road accident: How was the popular Punjabi actor related to Republic Day violence?

NEW DELHI: Popular Punjabi actor and activist Deep Sidhu, who was also accused in the Republic Day violence case last year, died in a road mishap while he was heading towards Haryana on Tuesday night.

According to Haryana Police, the accident took place on Western Peripheral Expressway near Pipli Toll plaza. The Haryana Police said that the actor rammed his car into a standing truck near Pipli toll on Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway.

Sidhu was going from Delhi to Bhatinda in Punjab when the car in which he was travelling rammed a trailer truck at 9:30 pm today, the police said. The actor was declared brought dead by the hospital authorities.

Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and many others extended their condolences over the "unfortunate demise of renowned Punjabi actor-activist Deep Sidhu."

How was the popular Punjabi actor related to Republic Day violence?

Deep Sidhu was named as an accused in the Red Fort violence case during farmers' protest on Republic Day last year. Sidhu was arrested by the Delhi Police in February last year in connection with a tractor rally by farmers on Republic Day that spiralled into violence after protesters came to the Red Fort and attacked policemen. 

The farmers were protesting against three new farm laws, which were withdrawn by the Centre in November 2021. Deep Sidhu was posting videos on social media then. Delhi Police had said that Deep Sidhu was instigating a group of farmers to storm the Red Fort on Republic Day over the contentious farm laws. He was also named in an FIR by the Delhi Police.

Deep Sidhu was granted bail on April 17 but was arrested on the same day in another case by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) alleging damage to public property during the farmers' tractor rally violence at Red Fort. He was then granted bail in this case on April 26.

Later, a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh was announced by the Delhi Police for information leading to Sidhu's arrest last year. The Delhi Police had filed a 3,224-page chargesheet against Deep Sidhu in May last year in connection with the tractor rally violence.