Salman Khan among top 10 targets of Lawrence Bishnoi, reveals NIA probe

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s manager Shagunpreet topped the list of 10 main targets that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi planned to eliminate, he confessed to the NIA, officials said.

“In 1998, Salman hunted the blackbuck, which is considered sacred by the Bishnois. I wanted to eliminate the actor to avenge the hurt sentiments of the community,” the gangster told the officials, according to an ANI report.

Also read: ‘Whatever is going to happen will happen’: Salman Khan on getting death threats

Bishnoi had confessed before the NIA in December last year that his aide Sampat Nehra had even conducted a recce of Salman’s Mumbai residence following his directions. Nehra was, however, nabbed by the Special Task Force of the Haryana Police.  On April 11 this year, Salman received another death threat call, weeks after a man was taken into custody for sending a threat email to the actor.

The Mumbai police have provided Salman Y+ category security as the actor is perceived to be under threat. The Maharashtra government took this step after the actor received a threat letter from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

Bishnoi is currently serving time in the national capital’s Tihar Jail. He also confessed to have procured two ‘zigana’ semi-automatic pistols from the US through Goldie Brar for the infamous Gogi gang whose members reportedly attacked and killed Tillu Tajpuriya inside his Tihar jail cell in April this year.

Canada-based Brar, who had claimed responsibility for the killing of Moosewala in Punjab’s Mansa district in May last year, also took responsibility for Tajpuriya’s killing.

Also read: Lawrence Bishnoi brought to Punjab for questioning in Moosewala murder case

Meanwhile, four suspected shooters of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang have been arrested and six pistols and some cartridges seized from them, the Punjab Police said in Chandigarh on Monday. DGP Gaurav Yadav said the accused have been facing several criminal cases registered in Punjab and Haryana.

Those arrested have been identified as Mehfooz alias Vishal Khan, Manjeet Singh alias Guri, Ankit and Goldy. The arrests were made by the anti-gangster task force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police. They were tasked by Bishnoi to harm their rival gang members. He said the four are history-sheeters and have been facing cases of heinous crimes, including attempt to murder, car-jacking and extortion in Punjab and Haryana.

(With agency inputs)