Vikas Thakur pays tribute to Sidhu Moose Wala, does 'thigh-five' celebration

Commonwealth Games listening to Sidhu Moose Wala's songs. The Indian weightlifter was thinking about the late Punjabi singer's music even while "doing the lifts" during competition. Having skipped meals for two days following Moose Wala's murder, the first thing Thakur did after winning his third CWG medal on Tuesday was to pay tribute to his idol by doing the 'thigh-five' celebration.

The seasoned Thakur lifted a total of 346kg (155kg+191kg) to finish second in the men's 96kg event. Thakur, who hails from the Rajput Jatt community in Himachal Pradesh, said, "The Punjabi 'thapi' (thigh-five) was tribute to Sidhu Moose Wala." The rapper-politician from Punjab was killed in broad daylight at Mansa on May 29. He was only 28.

"I did not eat for two days (after his death)," said Yadav during an interaction wtih PTI after winning his second CWG silver. Thakur had won a silver (85kg) in the Glasgow 2014 edition, while at Gold Coast 2018 he had returned with a bronze (94kg). "I've never met him but his songs will remain with me forever.

Even before coming to the competition I was listening to his numbers." "I will always be a big fan of his. He always would say 'jor bina patta de thapi bajti na' on the thigh five (you have to give it your all to achieve something). "I never met him but he will always remain my all-time favourite singer.

His songs are always on my phone. Happy or sad, he (his numbers) always keeps me going," he said, adding that 'Everybody Hurts' is his current favourite when he's down. "I also was thinking about that while doing the lifts," he said.