Actor-activist Deep Sidhu's untimely death: The Republic Day unrest and criticism from SKM

Punjabi actor-activist Deep Sidhu met with with an accident while travelling from Delhi to Punjab on Tuesday.

Punjabi actor-activist Deep Sidhu died in a road accident on Tuesday night while travelling from Delhi to Punjab. He was 37. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal and others expressed grief over his untimely death.

Deep Sidhu had been in the news for his alleged role in instigating protestors during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi last year. He was arrested in connection with case and later granted bail.

During the tractor rally against the three agricultural laws, a section of protestors had stormed the Red Fort and hoisted Nishan Sahib, a sacred Sikh flag, atop the monument.​

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Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu dies in road accident

Meet Deep Sidhu, Punjabi actor-turned-activist accused of instigating farmers at Red Fort on Republic Day

Sidhu had denied instigating protestors at the Red Fort and said that the flag was hoisted there “in a flow of emotions”.

“I had warned that our leaders had taken a decision which is against the youth’s sentiments,” the actor-activist had said. “How can Deep Sidhu instigate such a huge crowd? You will not find a single video of me leading anyone to Red Fort. Everyone was swayed by the moment.”

Farmers’ unions had distanced themselves from the group that stormed the Red Fort and accused Sidhu of leading young people towards the monument. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait had labelled him a BJP worker.

The distrust of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmers’ unions that led the protest, towards Sidhu stemmed from his reported association with the BJP.

Sidhu had been part of BJP MP and actor Sunny Deol’s team during his election campaign from Gurdaspur in 2019. Sidhu was seen pictures with him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Farmers’ unions labelled him a BJP-RSS agent and banned him from speaking on stage at protest sites.

The actor-activist had participated in the farmers’ protest at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana. A video of him speaking about the importance of the farmers’ protest and arguing with a police officer in English had been shared widely.

Sidhu hailed from  Punjab's Muktsar district. A law student, he took up acting after winning a modelling contest. He has acted in eight movies.