‘God made me this way’: What murdered Punjab influencer Mad Sandhu, vocal about LGBT issues, told trolls

Punjabi influencer and makeup artist Madhusudan Sandhu, popularly known as ‘Mad Sandhu’, was shot dead by two unidentified men on a motorcycle in Amritsar on Saturday evening, police said. Sandhu, who was vocal about LGBTQ+ and gender-related issues, would often hit back at online trolls by saying that “God has made me the way I am”.

Sandhu had built a strong online following through his work as a fashion stylist, makeup artist and digital creator. However, his content and fashion choices also drew criticism from some people.

Punjabi influencer's response to trolling

Mad Sandhu had spoken openly on several occasions about the difficulties of living in a conservative society.

“I, too, would sometimes wonder why God had made me this way. I started feeling suffocated and began locking myself in my room,” he said in a 'Josh Talks' video in 2021.

He added, “I was so confused that I could not understand who I was. My body was that of a boy, and my behaviour was also like that of a boy, but there was something that set me apart from society. Gradually, I found answers to all these questions.”

Sandhu spoke about growing up in a society with strict expectations of masculinity. He said he led a “double life” earlier, balancing what society expected of him with his own efforts to understand himself.

He regularly appeared on podcasts and used his social media platforms to share makeup tips and discuss the Punjabi entertainment industry. His Instagram account had 2.26 lakh followers. He had also appeared in the Punjabi film ‘Oye Bhole Oye’.

‘Learn to accept yourself’

Sandhu recounted how he once danced "like a girl" during his school's annual function. Although other children's parents appreciated his performances, some teachers and students mocked him, asking what he had become, he said.

After finishing school in Amritsar, Sandhu's family sent him to Delhi for higher studies. He said it was there that he experienced acceptance for the first time. However, after returning to Punjab, he felt he had “once again trapped in a cage”.

Sandhu was aware that he could face ridicule and even violence. Through his personal experiences, he said he wanted to encourage others to accept themselves. “Once you accept yourself, people's comments and the challenges you face will no longer matter as much. Life is very short, so enjoy it,” he said.

“Once you accept yourself, people's comments and the challenges you face will no longer matter as much. Life is very short, so enjoy it,” he said.

Mad Sandhu shot dead

Siri Vennela, additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP), City-2, Amritsar, told HT earlier that Sandhu was attacked while he was at a car wash shop to have his vehicle cleaned.

“Around two to three rounds were fired, with an eyewitness saying the social media influencer was shot at close range,” said the ADCP, adding that the attackers fled the scene immediately.

Sandhu fell on the road after being shot. Bystanders rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Disturbing visuals of the wounded influencer lying on the roadside surfaced online soon after the shooting, drawing shock and reactions on social media.

The killing has drawn attention to the recurring incidents of violence targeting digital creators in Punjab.