Salman Khan threatened: Pay ₹5 crore to end enmity with Bishnoi gang and 'stay alive'
Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has received a death threat allegedly issued by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which demands a payment of ₹5 crore to "resolve the enmity." A threatening WhatsApp message sent to the Mumbai Traffic Police warned that if the actor does not comply, he could face a fate worse than that of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who was reportedly murdered by gang members. The message read, "Don't take this lightly. If Salman Khan wants to stay alive and end the enmity with Lawrence Bishnoi, he must pay ₹5 crore. If the money is not given, his condition will be worse than Baba Siddiqui's." In response to this threat, Mumbai Police are tracing the origin of the message and have heightened security measures around Khan's residence in Bandra. The actor, already on high alert due to previous threats, is now facing heightened concerns regarding his safety.
On the previous day, Navi Mumbai Police apprehended a significant figure within the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The suspect, identified as Sukha alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh, was arrested in Haryana's Panipat and is linked to a purported assassination plot against Khan. Reports indicate that Singh had commissioned other gang members to carry out the attack. Police sources disclosed that Singh maintained direct communication with his handler, Dogar, who operates out of Pakistan, to orchestrate the planned attack. The gang allegedly intended to utilize sophisticated weaponry, including AK-47s and M16s, smuggled from Pakistan to execute their plans. Singh's arrest marks a key development in a wider investigation into the Bishnoi gang's conspiracy against Khan. Earlier this year, Navi Mumbai Police filed an FIR against 18 gang members for plotting to kill the actor, which followed an alarming incident where gang members fired shots outside Khan's residence. Notable figures among the accused include Lawrence Bishnoi, his brother Anmol, Sampat Nehra, Goldie Brar, and Rohit Godhara. These individuals have a long history of involvement in organized crime across North India and have gained notoriety for their violent threats and actions. Ongoing investigations have revealed unsettling information about the gang's operations. Reports indicate that the Bishnoi gang deployed between 60 to 70 operatives to monitor Khan’s activities, conducting surveillance at his Bandra residence, Panvel farmhouse, and various shooting locations. Disturbingly, the gang even attempted to recruit minors to serve as sharpshooters.
This incident is not the first time Khan has faced threats linked to the Bishnoi gang. In 2022, a threatening letter was found near his residence, and in March 2023, he received an email purportedly from gang members. More recently, in January 2024, two unidentified individuals attempted to break into Khan's Panvel farmhouse using fake identities, prompting the actor to bolster security around his property. The animosity between Khan and Lawrence Bishnoi dates back several years. Bishnoi, currently incarcerated, reportedly harbors a vendetta against the actor stemming from Khan's alleged involvement in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case, a significant issue for the Bishnoi community, which holds the blackbuck in high regard.
