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Man who sent fresh death threat to Salman Khan ‘mentally unstable’, says police

The accused, identified as 26-year-old Mayank Pandya, was questioned by Vadodara police and then Mumbai police

mumbai newsActor Salman Khan receives fresh threat. (File)

The fresh death threat allegedly issued to actor Salman Khan on Sunday was made by a 26-year-old “mentally unstable” and “lonely” man from Vadodara district, police claimed on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Mayank Pandya, is said to have sent out the message to the Mumbai Traffic Police’s Whatsapp helpline in pursuit of “fame on social media”.

Vadodara District Superintendent of Police Rohan Anand said on Tuesday, “Two days ago, the Mumbai police contacted us to say that their Traffic Whatsapp group received a message threatening to blow up Salman Khan’s car and assault the actor by entering his residence. The primary number verification conducted by the Mumbai police had revealed that it belonged to someone from the Raval village in Waghodia taluka of Vadodara district.”

Anand said that when the Vadodara district police verified the details shared with them, they located Mayank Pandya, aged about 26 years, with his family claiming that he has been undergoing treatment for over a decade for his mental health.

Anand said, “We brought him for primary questioning and also checked his phone. We found that being lonely, he would join all kinds of social media groups without a second thought and keep messaging the groups to become famous… He also sent out this threat in pursuit of some fame on social media. His aim was to be known… Prima facie, we did not find any links with terror, criminal gangs or any angle of conspiracy and we communicated the same to the Mumbai police.”

A team of the Mumbai police arrived in Vadodara on Monday to conduct a preliminary questioning of the man, and served him a notice to appear before the Worli police station in Mumbai, where an FIR has been lodged in the case, along with his medical documents.

“He was questioned; his phone has been seized by the Mumbai police. He has been served a notice to appear before the Mumbai police within a couple of days along with his medical reports,” said Anand.

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More

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