Firing at Salman Khan’s home: Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol Bishnoi ‘claims responsibility’ on Facebook

Khan, who has Y-plus category security cover, and his family members were present at home when the firing took place. No one was injured in the firing, the police said. An alert was sounded across Mumbai and barriers were erected on key roads to nab the suspects.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 9, Raj Tilak Roushan, said, “Two unknown persons came on a motorbike and fired rounds outside actor Salman Khan’s house around 5 am and escaped. Around 4-5 rounds were fired. We have formed 15 police teams to probe the matter. We are investigating the case from all angles. We will certainly nab the shooters soon.”

Khan had in the past received at least two threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang. The gang has been targeting the actor because of his alleged involvement in the 1998 blackbuck killing case in Rajasthan.

Security personnel check for bullet casings, at Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee.)

Blackbucks are considered holy by the Bishnoi community and Lawrence Bishnoi claimed that he has been upset with the actor ever since.

A police officer said prima facie it appeared from CCTV footage that the shooters fired in the air and not at any individual. The firing perhaps was symbolic and done to create panic and send a message, the officer said.

Claiming responsibility for the firing through a newly created account on Facebook, Anmol Bishnoi, who is wanted for the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in May 2022 and is suspected to be hiding in Canada, said the firing was the “first and last warning” for the actor. “Henceforth, the bullets will not be fired at the walls or any empty house,” he posted.

Booked in 18 criminal cases, Anmol has served time in the Jodhpur jail, from where he was released on bail on October 7, 2021.

Crime branch officers said they were investigating the Facebook post, which was later removed from the platform.

Salman Khan was at home when the gunshots were fired (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

The post surfaced around 11.30 am. “We want peace. If the only decision against oppression is war, then so be it. Salman Khan, we have done this to show you the trailer. So that, you get an idea of our capabilities and don’t test us,” the post in Hindi said.

The post mentioned “Lawrence Bishnoi group” and the names of gangsters Goldy Brar, Rohit Godara and Kala Jathari at the end.

Identifying one of the two suspects who opened fire as Vishal, a Gurgaon resident, police sources said the shooter works for Bishnoi gang member Godara, a Rajasthan-based gangster. Wanted in many high-profile killings, including that of Moosewala, Godara currently operates from Canada.

Vishal last month had allegedly killed a scrap dealer, Sachin, in front of his family at a highway dhaba in Rohtak.

Bullet marks at Salman Khan’s building. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

The police said Vishal and his unidentified aide, who is suspected to have driven the motorcycle, may have conducted a recce of Khan’s residence for the past couple of days.

The motorcycle was later found abandoned near a church at a kilometre’s distance, the police said. The motorcycle was registered in the name of a Panvel resident. A police team is trying to locate him to ascertain if it was stolen.

From CCTV footage, police sources said they have gathered that after abandoning the bike, the two suspects walked some distance before taking an auto-rickshaw to Bandra railway station. They boarded a north-bound local train. The police suspect that the two may have changed clothes on the go.

The Bandra police have registered a case under IPC Section 307 (attempted murder) and provisions of the Arms Act. The investigation was later in the evening transferred to the crime branch.

Besides the local police, officers from crime branch unit-9, anti-extortion cell and crime intelligence unit have launched a parallel investigation. From a bullet shell recovered from the spot, the police suspect that a 7.6mm bore gun was used. Forensic lab officials collected samples from the spot outside Khan’s Galaxy Apartment residence.

Security has been beefed up outside Khan’s residence. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

Following the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke to Khan over phone and assured support and police security for him and his family. Shinde also had discussions with Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and suggested increasing the actor’s security.

The police had in September 2023 reviewed Khan’s security and asked him to be on alert following threats from Lawrence Bishnoi through a Facebook post in which he claimed responsibility for a firing incident outside Punjabi singer-actor Gippy Grewal residence in Canada.

In March last year, the actor’s manager had received a threat email following which an FIR was registered against Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar and one Mohit Garg.

Prior to that, in June 2022, a threat letter had been kept at a spot on Bandra Bandstand where the actor’s father Salim Khan used to go for a walk. The letter had claimed that the actor too would meet the same fate as Moosewala. An FIR was registered in that case as well.

Following the threats to Khan, the police in August 2022 had issued him a firearm licence for protection. In November 2022, the state government upgraded his security level to Y-plus category from X category. While X category security usually entails one gunman, Y-plus has two policemen (plus four on rotation) for mobile security, and one (plus four on rotation) for residence security.

Family members of the actor on Sunday expressed concerns regarding the effectiveness of security given that five rounds were fired at the building, of which four hit the building and one landed in his balcony.

In addition to Y-plus security, a vehicle from the local police station usually stands guard outside Khan’s building, officers said.

Reacting to the firing, NCP-SCP leader Supriya Sule blamed the state government. “It’s extraordinarily unfortunate as the area where Salman Khan lives is a popular area and his family is clearly under pressure. It’s a complete failure of the Home Ministry,” she said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, “Law and order is in danger in the state. Where is the Home Minister? He is in election mode 24 hours, sometimes in Delhi, in an election campaign meeting, sometimes sitting in a conspiracy to eliminate his opponent. Who will look after law and order?”

MNS chief Raj Thackeray later visited Khan’s residence and met him.