A female folk singer was shot dead on Tuesday evening while she was on way to her home in a car after a programme at Chamrara village in Israna block of Panipat district in India.

The assailants, who came in a car, fired 5-6 bullets at her before fleeing the spot.

The deceased, Harshita Dahiya (22), was from Nahra-Nahri village of Sonipat district but was living at Narela in Delhi, reports the Indian Express.

Panipat SP Rahul Sharma said they suspected the role of a gangster named Dinesh, who is facing many criminal cases and is currently lodged in Tihar jail of Delhi.

‘He is brother-in-law of Female folk singer shot dead in Panipat the victim. Earlier, she had accused him of raping her. He is also accused in her mother’s murder.

Harshita was a witness in her mother’s murder case. But we are not ruling out other theories also,’ Sharma said.

Sources said Harshita had got life threat and she had disclosed the same on social media and on YouTube through a live video.

At the time of the incident, around 4.15 pm, she was accompanied by a male singer, Pradeep of Rathdhana village of Sonipat district, one Nisha of Ballabgarh identified as ‘her assistant’, besides car driver Sandeep, a resident of Gumar village in Sonipat district.

When they reached between Chamrara and Kakoda villages, a black car overtook their vehicle and forced it to stop.

Two youths came out of the car and forced the male singer, driver and the other girl out of the car and started firing at Harshita’s forehead. After pumping 5-6 bullets into her, the assailants escaped from the spot, sources said.

‘They did not target anybody except Harshita. As of now, there is no clarity on the exact number of the assailants. We have got some clues and we are working on them,’ said the SP. The police have recovered five blank cartridges from the spot, besides other evidence. Harshita’s body has been sent to the mortuary at Panipat’s government hospital. The police have registered a murder case on a complaint filed by Pradeep.