Sidhu Moosewala makes final journey on favourite tractor, thousands join procession
Mansa (Punjab)(PTI): A sea of mourners bid a tearful farewell to popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, who was cremated at his native village in Mansa district on Tuesday afternoon.
The body of the 28-year-old singer-politician, who was shot dead on Sunday, was brought to his home in Moosa village amid tight security on Tuesday morning from Mansa civil hospital, where the post-mortem was conducted.
Moosewala's family, including his parents, were inconsolable as they sat beside the body at their home.
His mother was seen trying to console her husband as people from Punjab, Rajasthan and Chandigarh among other places queued up in large numbers to get a last glimpse of the singer.
The singer's favourite tractor, which had figured in many of his music videos, was bedecked with flowers for his last ride to a family-owned field for the cremation.
Notwithstanding the scorching heat, mourners joined the funeral procession as Moosewala's father and mother stood on the tractor with folded hands, accompanying their son on his final journey.
Some of his fans wore t-shirts with Moosewala's picture printed on them. The singer's father, Balkour Singh, even took off his turban on seeing the sea on mourners.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring was present during the funeral procession. A heavy police force was deployed at the slain singer's residence as well as at the cremation site.
People heaped praises on Moosewala for his songs and even raised slogans in his favour.
"He was a good-natured man. He would never say no to anybody for a selfie. We are sad that he is not amongst us today," said a villager.
Some villagers and fans expressed anger over the Punjab police pruning Moosewala's security cover just a day before he was shot dead and sought the strictest punishment for the killers.
"Those who were behind the killing of Moosewala should be given exemplary punishment," said an elderly man who came from Jalandhar.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district. His cousin and a friend, who were travelling in a Mahindra Thar jeep with him, were also injured in the attack.
The popular Punjabi singer had fought the recent assembly election in Punjab on a Congress ticket from Mansa and was defeated by the AAP's Vijay Singla.
He was among the 424 people whose security was withdrawn or curtailed by the Punjab Police on Saturday on a temporary basis.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced setting up a judicial commission headed by a sitting high court judge to probe the brutal killing of Sidhu Moosewala.
The state police on Monday claimed to have rounded up some suspects and got important leads in connection with the killing. It had termed the assassination a case of an inter-gang rivalry and that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was behind the killing.
#WATCH | A huge crowd joins the funeral procession of singer Sidhu Moose Wala in Punjab's Mansa.
— ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2022
The last rites of the singer will be performed today. pic.twitter.com/LHkvjrUyVz
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
