Here's why Noida youth sent 'death threat' message to Salman Khan

That is the case with Gufran Khan, a 20-year-old tattoo artist, who was recently arrested from Noida for allegedly making death threats to actor Salman Khan and Maharashtra MLA Zeeshan Siddique.

Also read: Salman Khan, Zeeshan Siddique get fresh threats; suspect arrested from Noida

Banking on fear

According to reports quoting police sources, Gurfeen Khan has now confessed that he made the threatening calls just to scare Salman and Zeeshan so that they would part with money.

Mumbai Police picked up Gufran after investigations into a threat message sent to Zeeshan Siddiqui's Bandra office on October 25th evening, led them to his door. Gufran had allegedly sent a message to the MLA's office number, claiming that Salman Khan and Zeeshan Siddique are in danger and there’s a conspiracy afoot to kill them. The message added that the sender knew who wanted to kill them.

Mumbai Police tracked down the number and arrested Gufran in Noida. He has been taken to Mumbai on a transit remand.

Also read: Man who demanded Rs 5 crore extortion money from Salman Khan arrested

Money for information

The 20-year-old revealed that he was planning to send another message, this time, demanding money in exchange for information. He had hoped his initial message would have scared Salman and Zeeshan enough to part with money. However, he got arrested before he could ask for the money, he had told the police, said the reports.

Gufran sent the threat message weeks after Zeeshan Siddique's father, former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, was gunned down near his son’s Bandra office. Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's gang has claimed responsibility for the murder in a social media post.

Pay or get killed

Salman Khan, who is hosting Bigg Boss currently, has been receiving a spate of death threats for some time now.

In 2022, a threatening letter was found on a bench near his Bandra home. Additionally, in March 2023, the actor received an email allegedly sent by Goldy Brar.

In 2024, two unidentified individuals attempted to gain unauthorised access to Khan's farmhouse in Panvel using false identities.

The Dabangg actor has also been on the Lawrence Bishnoi gang's radar because of his involvement in the killing of black bucks in Rajasthan many years ago. Earlier this year, gunshots were fired outside Khan's Bandra residence, which was linked to members of the Bishnoi gang, prompting increased security around him.

Also read: Salman Khan gets death threat again, message sent to Mumbai cops: Report

Even as his security has been beefed up, Salman Khan continues to receive death threats.

A vegetable seller Shaikh Hussain Shaikh Mausin from Jamshedpur was arrested for allegedly threatening him and demanding a ransom of ₹ 5 crore through WhatsApp messages. Later, a message from the same number apologised for the ransom call and said it was a mistake.

On October 30, a caller dialled the Mumbai traffic police number and threatened to kill the actor unless he paid ₹ 2 crore as ransom. The police have registered a case against an unidentified individual.

The case has been filed under sections addressing extortion and threats to life, said police sources.