Mumbai: Police in Mumbai are tracking down the source of a message allegedly sent by Lawrence Bishnoi gang demanding ₹ 5 crore from actor Salman Khan to ‘end the enmity’ with the gangster, NDTV reported.
The WhatsApp message that the Mumbai Traffic police received warned not to take the threat lightly.
It added that in the event of not paying the money, the actor’s fate would be worse than that of Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique who was shot dead by Binshoi gang recently.
‘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,’ the threat message reportedly read.
Police have beefed up security around the actor’s residence in Bandra amid increasing concerns about his safety.
The Navi Mumbai Police on Thursday arrested in Haryana's Panipat a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Sukha alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh, who is linked to an alleged plot to assassinate Khan.
Singh, who was in direct contact with a Pakistani-based handler Dogar to coordinate the attack, had reportedly given a contract to other gang members to attack the actor, according to the police.
The gang had plans to use firearms such as AK-47s, M16s, and AK-92s smuggled from Pakistan to carry out the attack.
Singh’s arrest is a major breakthrough in the probe into the alleged plot to kill the actor after the Navi Mumbai police registered earlier this year an FIR against 18 individuals belonging to the Bishnoi gang in the case.
The members of the gang sent shockwaves by firing outside Khan’s Bandra residence raising concerns about the actor’s safety amid threats.
Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently imprisoned, issued threat to the actor over the actor’s alleged involvement in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case.