Mumbai: Two unidentified bike-borne men opened fire outside Salman Khan's home at Galaxy Apartments, Bandra, on Sunday morning at around 5 am. The two assailants fired a total of five rounds and fled.
Last year, a Canada-based fugitive gangster, Goldy Brar, had declared that the actor was on his gang's hit list. Salman Khan had been provided Y+ security following threatening calls made to him last April and a look-out circular (LOC) was issued against an Indian student in the United Kingdom, for allegedly sending a threatening email to the actor. He has been on the radar of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and has been threatened several times.
The jailed Bishnoi's younger brother, Anmol Bishnoi, who is based in the US, has claimed responsibility for the firing, in a post on social media. A bullet hit the first floor of Galaxy Apartments, where the Khan family resides. A foreign pistol was used in the firing. A special Crime Branch team is probing the firing, to track the assailants. CCTV footage is being analysed to identify the culprits, confirmed a senior Crime Branch officer.
The motorcycle used by the unknown assailants was later found abandoned by the Mumbai Police near Mount Mary Church. Salman Khan resides in the apartment with his father, scriptwriter Salim Khan, and his mother.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that Khan topped the list of 10 main targets that the jailed gangster Bishnoi planned to eliminate, citing the actor's infamous 1998 blackbuck hunting incident, which according to the gangster, had offended the Bishnois. Earlier, Lawrence Bishnoi had claimed that his shooters Sampat Nehra had conducted a surveillance of Bandra residence. Nehra was captured by the Special Task Force of Haryana Police and the plan to target Khan was foiled.
Reacting to the incident, his father Salim Khan confirmed the early morning firing but said no one was injured. "There is nothing to tell. They just want publicity, there is no need to worry," he said.
According to close family members of the superstar, police have advised the actor to change his residence for one with a more secure access and away from main road for a few months, until the accused are arrested. The police have also enhanced security outside Galaxy Apartments and erected barricades to monitor suspicious movements on Bandstand near the actor's home amid the ongoing investigation.
"The firing incident has left the Khan family shaken but Mumbai Police has assured that those behind the firing would be tracked down and arrested soon. The security ring around 'Bhai' has been strengthened, with additional police guards and private security guards forming the outer ring," said a family member.
15 Mumbai Police teams have been deployed to track down the two unidentified shooters captured on CCTV. Three shells have been collected from the apartment premises. A case has been registered against unidentified assailants at the Bandra police station.
