While claiming responsibility for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique on Saturday, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has sent a strongly worded message to Siddique’s long-time well-wisher and Bollywood star Salman Khan, who has been in their cross-hairs for some time now.
According to reports, a Facebook post from Bishnoi’s alleged aide Shubu Lonkar a.k.a Shubham Lonkar has linked Siddique’s murder to the death of Anuj Thapan, the man who on May 1 died by suicide while in custody for opening fire outside Salman’s apartment on April 14.
“Salman Khan, we did not want this war but you made our brother lose his life. Today the pool of decency of Baba Siddique is closed or at one time he was under MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) with Dawood. The reason for his death was his links to Dawood and Anuj Thapan in Bollywood, politics, and property dealings,” read the post.
“We have no personal enmity with anyone. However, anyone who helps Salman Khan or the Dawood gang should be prepared. If anyone gets any of our brothers killed, we will respond. We never strike first. Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat, salute to the martyrs,” the post further read.
While the police have yet to authenticate this post, they are on the lookout for Shubham. Earlier today, the Mumbai police arrested Shubham’s brother and ‘co-conspirator’ of the murder, Pravin Lonkar.
Siddique, NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister, 66, was murdered by three persons at Kher Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office on Saturday night. He was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead.
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A crime branch official on Sunday said Pravin and Shubham “enlisted” two alleged shooters - UP resident Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam. While Gautam is on the run, police have arrested Kashyap and another alleged shooter, identified as Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), a native of Haryana.
Salman was one of the few film celebrities who rushed to the hospital on Saturday night to meet Siddique’s family. On Sunday, the actor paid homage to his late friend at the NCP leader’s house in Bandra.
Siddique was popular among Bollywood circles, especially for his grand Iftar parties. Notably, Salman and Shah Rukh Khan ended their five-year feud at Siddique’s iftar party that was hosted at a five-star hotel in Mumbai.
Salman has been in the crosshairs of Bishnoi’s gang for some time now. Bishnoi had threatened to kill Salman, reportedly for Salman’s involvement in the 1998 Blackbuck shooting case. By killing Blackbucks, which are considered sacred by the Bishnoi community, Salman offended the sentiments of the Bishnois, said Lawrence Bishnoi.
In March last year, the Mumbai Police registered an FIR against Bishnoi and Goldy Brar after an e-mail threatening Salman was received at his office.
Earlier this year, on April 14, two bike-borne men fired four rounds outside the Galaxy Apartments in Bandra area, where the actor resides. The duo, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, were arrested in Gujarat, while Anuj Thapan and another man were detained in Punjab on April 26. Another arrest was made from Rajasthan. Thapan was found dead on May 1 inside the washroom of the crime branch’s police lock-up.
(with inputs from PTI)
Published - October 14, 2024 01:19 pm IST
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