The Navi Mumbai Police have uncovered a chilling plot to assassinate Bollywood actor Salman Khan. The conspiracy, orchestrated by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, aimed to ambush Khan's car in Panvel, Maharashtra, using weapons sourced from a Pakistani arms supplier.
Police have registered an FIR and arrested four individuals connected to the plot. This revelation follows an earlier incident on April 14, when two bike-borne assailants fired shots outside Khan's residence in Mumbai's Bandra.
According to police sources, jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, along with his Canada-based cousin Anmol Bishnoi and associate Goldie Brar, had procured AK-47s, M-16s, and other high-calibre weapons from a Pakistani arms dealer. The plan was to either attack Khan's vehicle or target his farmhouse.
Following the firing incident outside Khan's Bandra home, police apprehended four suspects. Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal were arrested in Gujarat, while Anuj Thapan and another individual were detained in Punjab on April 26. In total, six arrests have been made in connection with the case. However, Anuj Thapan died in police custody, sparking controversy and scrutiny.
The circumstances of Thapan's death have raised significant concerns. The Bombay High Court criticized the "incomplete" autopsy report, noting it lacked crucial details, such as a "diagram of the ligature mark" on Thapan's neck and information on other potential injuries.
Thapan's mother, Rita Devi, filed a petition on May 3, alleging that her son was physically assaulted and tortured in police custody, leading to his death on May 1 in a Mumbai crime branch lock-up. While the police claim Thapan died by suicide, Devi's petition calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident.