ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Bollywood actor Salman Khan has received a death threat, allegedly from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, demanding 50 million Indian rupees to “end the enmity”.
The threat, sent via WhatsApp to the Mumbai Traffic Police, warned that if the money is not paid, Khan’s fate would be worse than that of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who was recently murdered, reportedly by Bishnoi gang members.
The message stated, “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”
Following the threat, Mumbai Police have intensified security around Khan’s Bandra residence, with efforts underway to trace the message’s origin. The actor has been on high alert due to previous threats, and this latest development has further raised concerns about his safety.
In a related development, Navi Mumbai Police arrested Sukha, also known as Sukhbir Balbir Singh, a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in Haryana’s Panipat. Singh is believed to have played a major role in planning the assassination of Salman Khan.
He allegedly contracted other gang members for the attack and was in direct communication with his handler, Dogar, who is based in Pakistan. The gang had reportedly planned to use high-powered firearms, including AK-47s, M16s, and AK-92s, smuggled from Pakistan to carry out the assassination.
Singh’s arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the Bishnoi gang’s plot against Khan. Earlier this year, Navi Mumbai police filed an FIR against 18 members of the gang for conspiring to kill the actor. The investigation followed an incident in which shots were fired outside Khan’s Bandra residence.
High-profile gang members named in the FIR include Lawrence Bishnoi, his brother Anmol, Sampat Nehra, Goldie Brar, and Rohit Godhara, all of whom have been involved in organized criminal activities across northern India. Investigators revealed that the gang deployed 60 to 70 operatives to monitor Khan’s movements, conducting surveillance at his Bandra residence, Panvel farmhouse, and shooting locations. Shockingly, the gang also attempted to recruit minors as sharpshooters.
This is not the first time Salman Khan has been targeted by the Bishnoi gang. In 2022, a threatening letter was found near his residence, and in March 2023, Khan received an email allegedly sent by gang members. In January 2024, two individuals attempted to trespass into his Panvel farmhouse using fake identities, prompting Khan to bolster his security.
The feud between Salman Khan and Lawrence Bishnoi stems from Khan’s alleged involvement in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. The Bishnoi community holds the blackbuck in high reverence, and this incident is the driving force behind the gang’s pursuit of revenge against the actor.