Salman Khan’s security: Pranksters become a pain for police

Hussain Shaikh, who demanded Rs 5 crore from Salman Khan

Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who has been facing threats from the Bishnoi gang, has also become a target for pranksters, including YouTubers and students seeking fame. Investigation revealed that these callers have no connection to the Bishnoi gang and have made these threats for attention, under the influence of alcohol, or simply as a prank. In one case, even a minor made a threat against Khan just to test whether the police could track him down.

This year alone, Khan has received around 10 such unfounded threats that have no real link to the Bishnoi gang. Gang members had previously fired at his residence and left a threatening note at Bandstand, discovered last year by Khan's father, Salim Khan. Additionally, the Navi Mumbai Police have arrested several individuals suspected of conducting reconnaissance on Khan's house as part of an alleged assassination plan.

YouTuber Banwarilal Laturlal arrested in Rajasthan

"The threats made to the actor are being taken seriously, and all SOPs are being followed. Teams are even being sent to multiple states to trace these individuals," said an officer of the Mumbai Police. "Calls from random individuals have now become a headache for the agencies working to ensure the actor's safety," the officer added.

Man arrested in Noida

The latest threat received by Khan was directed at the office of Zeeshan Siddiqui, son of Baba Siddiqui, who was allegedly gunned down by a Bishnoi gang member on October 12. On Friday, an unknown individual sent threatening messages and made calls to Zeeshan's office, claiming there was a threat to both Salman Khan and Zeeshan Siddiqui. The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 8 launched a manhunt and arrested the individual, identified as Gufran Khan, 29, from Noida.

CCTV grab of the couple that issued a threat to Salim Khan; (right) Gufran Khan arrested from Noida for issuing a fake threat

According to sources Gufran has no links with the Bishnoi gang. He allegedly made the threats to Salman and Zeeshan, hoping to gain monetary benefit from the actor and the politician. "We have interrogated the individual and handed him over to the Nirmal Nagar Police Station for further investigation," said Vishal Thakur, DCP, Detection 1.

Accused seeking ransom

Similarly, last week, the Mumbai Traffic Police received death threats for Salman Khan on their WhatsApp number. The individual who claimed to be from the Bishnoi gang, demanded R5 crore from the actor and warned that if his demands were not met, Salman's condition would be worse than that of Baba Siddiqui. The Mumbai Police launched a manhunt, eventually tracing the person to Jamshedpur, where he was identified as Hussain Shaikh, a vegetable seller. After realizing he was under investigation, Shaikh apologized on WhatsApp, claiming the messages were sent by mistake.

In September, the Bandra Police apprehended a couple for threatening Salman Khan's father, Salim Khan, in the name of the Bishnoi gang as a prank. The incident occurred on September 19 while Salim Khan was on a morning walk with his bodyguards. To impress his female friend, who was on an Activa with him. The man stopped close to Salim Khan and asked, "Lawrence Bishnoi ko bheju kya?" (Should we send Lawrence Bishnoi to you?). That same month, another person was arrested for following Salman Khan's convoy and ignoring security guards' warnings. Police later found that he was simply a fan eager to see the actor after his return from Hyderabad.

YouTuber arrested

In June this year, a 25-year-old YouTuber identified as Banwarilal Laturlal Gujar from Bundi district, Rajasthan, was arrested for posting threatening videos against Salman Khan on his YouTube channel. Khan's team noticed the videos and informed the police. Investigations revealed that Gujar was a fan of Lawrence Bishnoi and had been creating multiple videos supporting him.

On March 18, a third-year medical student sent an email to one of Salman Khan's friend. The student threatened the actor with consequences if he did not have a talk with Goldy Brar in person. "Goldy bhai (Goldy Brar) ko BAAT krni hai tere boss Salman se. Interview (of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi) dekh hi liya hoga usne shayad. Nhi dekha ho toh bol diyo dekh lega. Matter close krna hai to BAAT krva dio, face to face krna ho vo bta dio. Abi time rehte inform krdiya hai agli baar jhatka hi dekhne ko milega [sic]," his email read.

In the month of April, another threat was received in an email and the sender claimed to be a member of the Bishnoi gang. The sender warned that Khan would meet the same fate as Sidhu Moosewala. The police later arrested a person named Dhakad Ram Bishnoi from Rajasthan but found out that he had no association with the gang and had sent the email for some fame on social media.

In another incident in April, the Mumbai Crime Branch apprehended a 16-year-old boy who called the police control room on April 30 and threatened to kill Khan. The boy was nabbed after a 10-km chase in Thane. Officers learnt during the probe that the boy had made the call for fun, thinking the police won't be able to trace them.

In addition to the serious threats Salman Khan faces from the Bishnoi gang, in June 2022, his father found a threatening letter at a spot in Bandra where he sits after his morning walk. The Crime Branch registered an FIR in that case and identified the Bishnoi gang as being behind it. In April this year, multiple shots were fired outside Salman Khan's house, with Lawrence Bishnoi taking responsibility.

The Crime Branch arrested six individuals in connection with that case and has charged them under MCOCA, with Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol also named as accused. Furthermore, the Navi Mumbai Police arrested six individuals for allegedly plotting to kill Salman Khan, though direct links to the Bishnoi gang are yet to be established.