Gunshots heard near Kangana's home

Mumbai/Manali: Police patrolling stepped up outside the residence of actor Kangana Ranaut in Manali after her family complained of hearing some gunshots late on the night of July 31 near the house. In a statement issued by the 'Queen' star recently, she claimed that the incident was meant to intimidate her for speaking up about actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

Superintendent Police Gaurav Singh said that there was no evidence of firing at the spot. No formal complaint from the Ranaut family was received and no security was deployed at her residence.

"They sounded like gunshots. Maybe they were crackers just to keep bats away from the orchards that are currently blooming with apples," said the actor's father.

Police officials said that the owners of nearby orchards were questioned and they denied bursting crackers or firing gunshots to keep bats away. Amardeep Singh said they did not authenticate whether the sound was from the barrel of the gun.

Meanwhile, the actor issued a statement over the incident that read: "I was in my bedroom. I heard a cracker-like sound at about 11.30 pm. I think some local people may have been hired to come near my place, you know. It is not difficult to pay someone seven-eight thousand rupees here and assign them something like this. To do this to make a statement on the day I called out the chief minister's son as I do not think it was a coincidence. People are telling me that they will now make your life miserable in Mumbai. Well, I do not have to be in Mumbai because they are doing it here also."