Salman Khan firing episode: Mumbai police nabs shooters

In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai police arrested the two alleged shooters involved in the firing at Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s Bandra residence in less than 48 hours of the incident.

According to the police, the two were nabbed from Bhuj district in Gujarat by a crime branch team of the Mumbai police. The two have been identified as Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal and are suspected to be linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. They are being brought to Mumbai and will be produced before a local court for want of custody.

At 4.51 am on Sunday, two youths riding a motorbike fired five rounds at the actor’s residence. The police had recovered four empty shells and a live bullet at the scene which has been sent for forensic analysis. The police suspect a 7.6 bore weapon could have been used for the firing. In the past the actor has received death threats from the Bishnoi gang following which he was provided a Y category security cover.


After firing they dumped the bike and is learnt to have taken an autorickshaw to the Bandra railways station from where they are seen to have boarded a local train. The duo are then seen at the Santacruz railway station. The bike was later recovered by the police and its owner was quizzed who allegedly revealed that he had sold the bike to the accused and had accepted the payment in cash. The police suspect the same bike was used by the duo to even conduct reconnaissance before the actual firing episode of Sunday.

While the investigation is being handed over from the local police to the Mumbai crime branch, the Maharashtra ATS , the NIA and the Delhi police are also learnt to be carrying parallel investigations. A case was attempt to murder has been registered by the police.

On Sunday, around 11.30 am Bishnoi’s brother Anmol in a Facebook post claimed responsibility for the incident. "We want peace. If the only decision against oppression is war, then so be it. Salman Khan, we have only shown you a trailer so that you understand the magnitude of our strength and do not test it. This is the first and last warning. After this, shots will not be fired outside the house only. And we have dogs named after Dawood Ibrahim and Chota Shakeel, whom you consider to be Gods. Now, I don't have the habit of talking much," the post read. Anmol is wanted by central agencies and is suspected to be hiding abroad.

Lawrence Bishnoi's gang was also responsible for the killing of Punjabi singer and rapper Sidhu Moose Wala. Anmol Bishnoi alias Bhanu is an absconding accused in Moose Wala's murder. He escaped from India on a fake passport and was chargesheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) last year.