Accused in Salman Khan firing case dies by suicide in police custody

Mumbai (Maharashtra), May 01: One of the arms suppliers in the firing case outside actor Salman Khan's house, Anuj Thapan, died by suicide on Wednesday, while in Mumbai Police custody.

As per Mumbai Police, Anuj Thapan allegedly attempted suicide and hung himself inside the lock-up.

He was taken to the nearest hospital, where he was declared dead, the police said.

"After taking to the hospital, accused Anuj Thapan was declared dead by doctors at the hospital," as per the official statement by Mumbai Police.

Anuj Thapan was arrested from Punjab on April 26 and was charged and arrested for providing weapons to the two attackers who fired gunshots outside Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai.

The arrests followed the firing incident that occurred outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's residence in the Bandra area of Mumbai.

The matter pertains to April 14 morning, when two men came on a motorbike, fired four rounds outside the Galaxy Apartments, where the actor resides, and fled. CCTV footage showed that both accused sported caps and carried backpacks. The clip also showed them firing in the direction of the actor's home. After the arrest of the accused, Kutch DSP AR Zankant said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

Mumbai Crime Police had arrested both the shooters -- Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, as well as the two arms suppliers -- Sonu Subhash Chander and Anuj Thapan, were also arrested.

Meanwhile, a lookout notice has been issued against Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, in connection with the case.

Earlier, the Mumbai Police invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against all the accused arrested in connection with the firing incident outside superstar Salman Khan's Bandra residence on April 14, officials said on Saturday.

Mumbai Crime Branch officials said that the police have identified gangster Lawrence Bishnoi as the leader of the gang and have added sections of MCOCA in the FIR.

"All accused have been booked under Sections 3(1)(2), 3(1)(3), and 3(1)(4) of MCOCA," they said.

Earlier, the Mumbai Police registered a case against four people in the firing case, naming the Bishnoi brothers as key accused. The sections under IPC 506(2) (threatening), 115 (abetment), and 201 (tampering with evidence) have been added to the case.

Mumbai Crime Branch officials said that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi have been declared wanted accused in connection with the case. Anmol Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the firing outside Salman's residence in a Facebook post following the attack.