Who was Mad Sandhu, LGBTQ+ influencer and makeup artist shot dead in Amritsar
On Saturday, October 3, Mad Sandhu, an Amritsar-based makeup artist and influencer, was shot dead, leaving behind a growing digital following and a career that had stretched from fashion and beauty to films and content creation. Sandhu was known for the kind of social media presence that rarely stayed within one box. Makeup, fashion, luxury looks, vlogs and memes were all part of his online world, but so were conversations around gender, identity and social norms.
Sandhu, whose real name was Madhusudan Sandhu, was found lying in a pool of blood on the road on Saturday after the shooting. He was rushed to a private hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The circumstances leading up to the attack, the identities of the assailants and their motive remain unclear.
Police are examining CCTV footage and other evidence as they work to establish what happened and identify those responsible.Who was Mad Sandhu?
For his followers, Sandhu was much more than a makeup artist. He had built a sizeable audience on Instagram, where his content moved between beauty, fashion, lifestyle and social commentary. Reports put his Instagram following at around 2.26 lakh. He also posted longer vlogs and Shorts on YouTube and regularly appeared on podcasts to talk about makeup, the film industry and gender-related subjects.
His public profile described him as a makeup artist, entrepreneur and artist. He was also the founder of Mane Lane Unisex Salon in Amritsar, according to reports. His career had earlier taken him into fashion, where he worked as a stylist and assistant costume designer on projects in Punjab and Mumbai, before he expanded into makeup, modelling, acting and digital content.
Sandhu also had credits in Punjabi entertainment, including appearances in films such as Oye Bhole Oye. Over time, social media became the space where he developed his most recognisable identity – one that was closely tied to beauty, self-expression and an unapologetic approach to fashion. He spoke openly about gender and faced trolling
Sandhu was openly gay and had spoken about gender and LGBTQ+ issues in his public appearances. That visibility also made him a target of online trolling, particularly around his appearance, clothes and lifestyle. Social media reports have noted that he regularly faced homophobic comments on social media.
His online presence had also sparked controversy beyond routine social media trolling. In July, Nihang jathedar Manpreet Singh Khalsa had objected to some of Sandhu's social media content, clothing and older videos, arguing that they could influence Punjab's culture and young people negatively. Sandhu responded at the time, saying he had changed and was no longer repeating past mistakes. He also objected to old videos being repeatedly circulated and used to create controversy around him.
Police are now examining whether any earlier tensions are relevant to the killing, but no motive has been established so far. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MAD SANDHU (@its_madsandhuofficial)What happened to Mad Sandhu?
According to police, Sandhu was attacked on Loharka Road on Saturday evening. He suffered gunshot injuries and was taken to a private hospital, where he later died. Police teams have been formed to trace the attackers, while CCTV footage is being examined to piece together what happened.
A video purportedly recorded after the shooting has also circulated on social media, showing Sandhu injured on the road as people around him tried to help.
The footage has added to the attention around the case, though it does not establish what led to the attack or who carried it out.- EndsALSO READ | Makeup artist and influencer Mad Sandhu shot dead in Amritsar
