4 september 2024 : The families of two accused in the firing incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s house in Mumbai have reached out to the Maharashtra and Bihar governments, seeking protection. They claim that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s associates are plotting to have them killed.
This development follows the arrest of Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, on April 14 from Gujarat for their involvement in the firing near Salman Khan’s residence.
The letters were sent by Sonu Gupta, the brother of Vicky Gupta, and Rahul Pal, the brother of Sagar Pal, both residents of Majharia in Bihar’s West Champaran district. According to their families, Vicky and Sagar, currently held in Taloja jail, have expressed concerns that Dawood Ibrahim’s henchmen are planning their assassination. The accused fear they may suffer the same fate as their co-accused, Anuj Thapan, who died in police custody in May.
Vicky Gupta’s lawyer stated, “The accused have requested authorities for protection, claiming threats from D Company. They have informed their families about the threats.” The lawyer further mentioned that the accused allege Salman Khan, who reportedly has known connections with a gangster, may want them killed.
On April 14, two men on a motorcycle fired shots outside Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra, Mumbai. Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal were later arrested in connection with the incident. Anuj Thapan, another accused, was arrested on April 26 but was found dead on May 1 in the police lock-up’s washroom.
The Mumbai Police have charged all the accused under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother, Anmol Bishnoi, have been declared wanted in the case, with Anmol claiming responsibility for the firing in a Facebook post following the incident.
