Salman's ₹5cr extortion threat was a 'prank': Mumbai Police
What's the story
The Mumbai Traffic Police recently received a threatening WhatsApp message demanding ₹5cr from Bollywood actor Salman Khan.
The anonymous sender warned that if Khan failed to comply, he would meet a fate worse than the recently murdered NCP leader Baba Siddiqui.
However, the Mumbai Police have now dismissed this message as a "prank." An investigation is underway to identify the person behind this threatening message.
Threat details
'Don't take it lightly...': Read the threat message
The sender of the message had written, "Don't take it lightly, if Salman Khan wants to stay alive and wants to end the enmity with Lawrence Bishnoi, then he will have to pay ₹5cr."
"If the money is not given, Salman Khan's condition will be worse than Baba Siddique's."
"An investigation has been started in this matter," Mumbai Police informed media earlier today.
Security measures
Khan's security bolstered amid death threats
Khan has been receiving death threats for months now. After Siddiqui's murder, a former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader, the actor's security has been beefed up considerably.
Siddiqui was shot dead on October 12 by three men. Four people have been arrested in connection with his murder so far, while others remain at large.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang's involvement in Siddiqui's murder is currently being probed.
Previous incident
Earlier attack on Khan's residence linked to the Bishnoi gang
In April, two men on a bike opened fire outside Khan's residence in Mumbai's Bandra.
The Mumbai Police alleged that the shooters were hired by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who had conspired to kill the actor.
The police further revealed that this gang had planned a more extensive attack on Khan and there is still a threat to his life.
Recent arrest
Arrest in alleged plot to kill Khan
The threat message for Khan comes a day after the Navi Mumbai Police said it had arrested a member of the gang in connection with an alleged plot to kill Khan.
The accused, Sukha, was apprehended from Panipat in Haryana by a team of Panvel Town Police (in Navi Mumbai) on Wednesday.
He had allegedly given a contract to Bishnoi gang members to kill Khan.
Singh was in touch with his alleged handler Dogar, who is based in Pakistan.