BHUBANESWAR: The Worli police have launched a manhunt to capture a suspect accused of sending a death threat and extortion demand to Bollywood actor Salman Khan on Friday. According to reports, the suspect sent the threatening message via WhatsApp to the Mumbai traffic police, demanding Rs 5 crore and warning that Khan would face consequences worse than those of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique if the money was not paid.
The suspect, believed to be a resident of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, has been on the run since sending the message, frequently changing his location. Authorities have tracked his movements across multiple cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, and West Bengal. Police traced the suspect to Mumbai on October 9, with his mobile signal linked to a public sector bank at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). This coincided with the day Siddique was fatally shot outside his office in Nirmal Nagar.
The threatening message warned, “Don’t take this lightly, if Salman Khan wants to stay alive and end the enmity with Lawrence Bishnoi, he will have to pay Rs 5 crore. If the money is not given, Salman Khan’s fate will be worse than Baba Siddique’s.”
The extortion message, combined with Siddique’s murder on October 12, has raised significant concerns about Khan’s safety. Police suspect that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang may be linked to both incidents. In response to the threat, security measures have been ramped up around Khan’s Bandra and Panvel residences, as well as at his workplaces.
Salman Khan continues to maintain a busy work schedule, currently filming the latest season of *Bigg Boss 18* while also working on his upcoming Bollywood film Sikander, which is slated for release on Eid 2025.
The police are actively investigating both the extortion threat against Khan and Siddique’s murder as they work to apprehend the suspect. Authorities remain on high alert, and the manhunt is ongoing.