Salman Khan tells police Lawrence Bishnoi gang intended to kill him

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Salman Khan has revealed to the police that he suspects the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was behind the shooting at his residence in April this year, aiming to kill him and his family members. This information is included in the charge sheet filed by Mumbai Police regarding the incident.

Khan reported hearing a firecracker-like noise while asleep at his Galaxy Apartments residence in the early hours of April 14. His bodyguard informed him around 4:55 am that two individuals on a motorcycle had fired at the first-floor balcony. Khan, who has previously faced threats, mentioned that his bodyguard lodged a complaint at the Bandra police station following the incident.

The charge sheet states that Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi later confessed to the attack in a Facebook post. The actor recounted past threats from the Bishnoi gang, including a threatening letter in 2022, an email threat in March 2023, and an attempted trespass by two individuals using fake identities at his Panvel farmhouse in January 2024.

Earlier this month, police submitted a 1,735-page charge sheet in the firing case to the special court for Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act cases. The court has found sufficient evidence to proceed against the six arrested individuals: Vickykumar Gupta, Sagarkumar Pal, Sonukumar Bishnoi, Anujkumar Thapan (now deceased), Mohd Rafiq Choudhary, and Harpal Singh. Thapan allegedly committed suicide in police custody, while the other five remain in judicial custody.

Salman Khan's brother, actor-producer Arbaaz Khan, also provided a statement detailing prior threats and the Panvel farmhouse trespassing, emphasizing the need for constant vigilance regarding their safety. He, too, believes that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang orchestrated the April 14 attack with the intent to kill their family members.

Input from Pti