New Delhi:

Seven ‘shooters’ working for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, linked to the gunfire outside Bollywood star Salman Khan’s home and the murder of ex-Maharashtra minister Baba Siddiqui, have been arrested – across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi – over the past 48 hours, sources told NDTV Friday.

Six semi-automatic weapons and ammunition were recovered in what Delhi Police’s Special Cell has claimed as “pan-India” action. The hitmen are being interrogated about Baba Siddiqui’s murder and other operations of the Bishnoi gang, which has also been named by Canadian federal police as having links to “agents” of the Indian government and cases of homicide and extortion.

Sources said the Bishnoi gang shooters – the first arrest was made on Wednesday – had been given a list of targets, including one (as yet unidentified) person in Haryana. Another possible (also as yet unidentified) target was in Rajasthan, and his execution had been cleared by Arzoo Bishnoi.

The arrest of the seven hitmen, and others in connection with the Baba Siddiqui murder, Salman Khan firing, and killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022 – is only the tip of a vast criminal syndicate run by Lawrence Bishnoi from his prison cell in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail.

Rs 1.11 Lakh ‘Bounty’ On Bishnoi

Bishnoi’s infamy led to an ironic twist of fate this week after the Kshatriya Karni Sena, a Rajput group, offered a cash reward of Rs 1.11 lakh for the ‘encounter’ death of the gangster.

That followed the killing of Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, a prominent Rajput leader, in December.

READ | Rs 1.11 Lakh Cash: Karni Sena Offer For Bishnoi “Encounter”

Eight members of the Bishnoi gang were arrested in that case, but one of his trusted aides, Rohit Godara, who planned the hit, escaped. Intel said he fled India using a fake passport.

Unsurprisingly Godara is believed to be in Canada, where the Bishnoi gang has a strong base.

Baba Siddiqui Murder

Over a dozen other Bishnoi gangsters, including two of the three shooters, have been arrested in connection with the killing of Baba Siddiqui. The main shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, and two other persons involved in the murder conspiracy, are on the run, the police have said.

The three shooters threw chilli powder at the police officer guarding Siddique before killing him.

READ | Baba Siddiqui Shooters Threw Chilli Powder At Cop Guarding Ex-Minister

The two arrested have been identified as Gurmel Baljit Singh, 23, of Haryana and 19-year-old Dharmaraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh.

Salman Khan Firing Case

Last Thursday Navi Mumbai Police arrested another Bishnoi shooter – named Sukha – from Panipat in Haryana. And, among the other shooters involved, is one Vishal, who has links to Rohit Godara.

READ | Main Accused In Salman Khan’s Farmhouse Attack Arrested

Vishal is also wanted in connection with the killing of a Gurguram businessman in March.

How Bishnoi Gang Works

Orders to henchmen in India and abroad are routed through deputies, including Bishnoi’s brother Anmol, on whom the NIA today placed a Rs 10 lakh bounty.

Anmol Bishnoi is wanted in connection with the firing outside Salman Khan’s home.

READ | Rs 10 Lakh Bounty On Bishnoi’s Brother, Added To Most-Wanted List

The Bishnoi gang is known to be involved in various criminal activities, including homicide, extortion, and arms trafficking, and their profile has been on the rise over the past few years.

The group primarily extorts money from high-profile targets, including celebrities like Punjabi singers, the liquor mafia, and other prominent businessmen, employing professional shooters to carry out hits and intimidate victims into submission.

NDTV Explains | Bishnoi Has 700 Shooters. How He Operates From Jail

Apart from its army of hitmen Bishnoi is also known to have separate teams looking after logistics, dealing with legal issues, and gathering information on his rivals, enemies, and targets.

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Mathura, Uttar Pradesh:

Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shailesh Pandey has suspended three police personnel after a video statement of Yogesh, a sharpshooter of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang went viral. The sharpshooter was seen speaking to local media crews while being in police custody at the Refinery police station.

Shooter Yogesh had said that his encounter in Mathura was fake. He had given a statement on NCP leader Baba Siddiqui who was shot dead in Mumbai.

Sub-inspector Ramsanehi, head constable Vipin and constable Sanjay posted at Refinery police station have been suspended by SSP Pandey.

Yogesh, involved in a murder case in Delhi, was arrested by the Delhi Special Cell and Mathura Police in a joint action on Thursday.

Delhi police’s special cell in a joint operation with Mathura Police arrested Yogesh, a shooter of the Lawrence Bishnoi-Hashim Baba gang on Thursday in connection with the murder of a 35-year-old gym owner.

SSP Mathura Shailesh Pandey said, “In a joint operation between police and Delhi Special Cell team, a sharpshooter named Yogesh, who is said to have linkages with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has been injured in an encounter. He has been wanted in a murder case in Delhi.”

The gym owner, identified as Nadir Shah, was shot dead in full public view in South Delhi on September 12.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened at the residence of Bollywood actor Salman Khan after fresh death threats were received demanding an extortion payment of Rs 5 crore.

This comes after the Mumbai Police had said that a threatening message was received on the WhatsApp number of Mumbai Traffic Police, demanding Rs 5 crore from actor Salman Khan “to end his long-standing rivalry with Lawrence Bishnoi.”

The person who sent the message claimed to be close to Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang and claimed to put the actor’s life in danger if not provided with the extortion money.

The sender claimed, “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 Rs 5 crore. If the money is not given, Salman Khan’s condition will be worse than Baba Siddique’s.”

The incident comes in the backdrop of the recent murder of Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique.

Following Siddique’s assassination, which occurred outside his office on October 12, the police have intensified their search for the suspects involved in his death.

A look-out circular was issued for Shubham Lonkar, along with two additional suspects, Shiv Kumar Gautam and Zeeshan Akhtar, who are believed to be trying to flee to Nepal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Bollywood actor Salman Khan has been issued a death threat, allegedly by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, demanding Rs 5 crore to “end the enmity”. A WhatsApp message, sent to Mumbai Traffic Police, warned that if the money is not paid, then the actor’s fate would be worse than that of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who was murdered recently, allegedly by Bishnoi gang members.

“Don’t take this lightly. If Salman Khan wants to stay alive and end the enmity with Lawrence Bishnoi, he must pay Rs 5 crore. If the money is not given, his condition will be worse than Baba Siddiqui’s,” the threat message read. 

According to sources, the Mumbai Police is working to track the origins of the message and have increased security around Mr Khan’s Bandra residence. The actor has been on high alert following previous threats, and this recent development has added renewed concerns about his safety.

READ | Lawrence Bishnoi Has 700 Shooters On Call. How He Operates From Jail

Yesterday, the Navi Mumbai Police arrested a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The accused, identified as Sukha alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh, was apprehended in Haryana’s Panipat and has been linked to an alleged plot to assassinate Mr Khan. Singh had reportedly given a contract to other gang members to carry out the attack on the actor.

According to police sources, Singh had been in direct contact with his handler, Dogar, a Pakistani-based figure, to coordinate the planned attack. The gang had allegedly intended to use high-powered firearms, including AK-47s, M16s, and AK-92s, smuggled from Pakistan to execute the plot. 

Singh’s arrest is the latest in a series of breakthroughs in a broader investigation into the Bishnoi gang’s conspiracy against Mr Khan. Earlier this year, the Navi Mumbai police registered an FIR against 18 individuals from the gang for plotting to kill the actor. The FIR followed a shocking incident in which members of the gang fired outside Mr Khan’s Bandra residence.

READ | “Wanted Canada To Extradite Bishnoi Gang Members”: India On Diplomatic Row

Among the accused named in the case are high-profile members of the Bishnoi gang, including Lawrence Bishnoi himself, his brother Anmol, Sampat Nehra, Goldie Brar, and Rohit Godhara. These individuals have long been linked to organised criminal activity across North India and have become notorious for their brazen threats and acts of violence.

The ongoing police investigation has uncovered disturbing details about the gang’s planning. Police sources revealed that the Bishnoi gang had deployed between 60 to 70 operatives to monitor Mr Khan’s movements. These individuals conducted reconnaissance at various locations, including Mr Khan’s Bandra residence, his Panvel farmhouse, and the actor’s shooting locations. The gang even attempted to recruit minors to act as sharpshooters.

This is not the first time Mr Khan has been the target of death threats linked to the Bishnoi gang. In 2022, a letter threatening the actor was discovered on a bench near his residence, and in March 2023, the actor received an email allegedly sent by members of the gang. In January 2024, two unidentified individuals attempted to trespass into Mr Khan’s Panvel farmhouse using fake identities, an incident that prompted the actor to increase security around his property.

Mr Khan’s feud with Lawrence Bishnoi dates back several years. The gangster, currently imprisoned, has reportedly harboured a grudge against the actor over his alleged involvement in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. The Bishnoi community reveres the blackbuck, and the incident is the primary reason why the gang seeks revenge. 

Mumbai:

After former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead outside his son’s office on Saturday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that those responsible for Siddique’s brutal murder will not escape justice. 

“Our responsibility is to maintain law and order. Whoever is responsible for Baba Siddique’s murder will not be spared,” Mr Shinde said. 

The Chief Minister alleged that the law and order situation had deteriorated during the tenure of the previous Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. According to Mr Shinde, under the MVA’s administration, security measures had weakened, leading to a rise in criminal incidents, adding that his government would ensure that justice is delivered and that lawbreakers face the full weight of the law.

The murder of Mr Siddique shocked the state and triggered widespread concerns about public safety. The Mumbai Police has arrested two suspects in connection with the case. A third suspect remains at large, and the Chief Minister assured the public that efforts are being intensified to apprehend the fugitive. Shinde stated, “The third accused is on the run. 

“Yesterday’s incident of Baba Siddique’s murder is unfortunate and sad. Mumbai Police has arrested two people, one is from UP and the other from Haryana. The third accused is on the run. He will be arrested soon. They will not be spared no matter who they are be it the Bishnoi gang or any underworld gang. Strict action will be taken. Those who are receiving threats, their safety is the state government’s responsibility and it will fulfil its responsibility,” Mr Shinde said. 

According to police, Mr Siddique was shot multiple times, sustaining two critical gunshot wounds to his chest. He was immediately rushed to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital where he died shortly after his arrival.

A political slugfest erupted over the killing between the ruling BJP and Opposition parties. While the BJP-led Maharashtra government has requested not to “politicise” the incident, Opposition leaders, notably from the Congress, have slammed the ruling dispensation over what they describe as a “collapse of law and order.”

Mumbai:

Mumbai Police Crime Branch on Monday arrested Pravin Lonkar from Pune in connection with NCP leader Baba Siddique’s Murder case.

According to Mumbai Police, Pravin is the brother of Shubuu Lonkar who posted on social media that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has taken responsibility for the murder.

Shubuu Lonkar is absconding at the moment. Police say Pravin Lonkar gave shelter to both the arrested accused in Pune.

Meanwhile, the ossification test of Dharmaraj Kashyap, an accused in the murder case of NCP leader and former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique, was conducted by Mumbai police, and it was confirmed that he is not a minor, officials said on Monday.

An ossification test is a medical procedure that estimates a person’s age by analyzing the degree of bone fusion and is commonly used for age determination.

Following the test results, Kashyap was presented before the court, which granted police custody till October 21. Mumbai’s Esplanade Court had ordered the ossification test after Kashyap’s lawyer claimed he was a minor.

According to officials, the arrested accused, identified as Pravin Lonkar (28), is the brother of Shubham Lonkar, who is also implicated in the conspiracy. They allegedly enlisted Dharmaraj Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam in the plot to kill Siddique, officials said.

NCP leader Baba Siddique was murdered after being shot outside his office in Nirmal Nagar. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds before being rushed to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday night.

His last rites were performed with full state honours in Mumbai at Bada Qabrastan on Sunday.

Commenting on the law and order situation in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, “Yesterday’s incident of Baba Siddique’s murder is unfortunate and sad. Mumbai Police have arrested two persons–one from UP and the other from Haryana. The third accused is absconding… He will be arrested soon.

“They will not be spared, no matter who they are, be it the Bishnoi gang or any underworld gang. Strict action will be taken. Those who are receiving threats will have their safety ensured, as it is the state government’s responsibility,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:
Three accused in politician Baba Siddique’s murder are now in police custody, including a co-conspirator and another whose claim of being a minor has been ruled out by a bone ossification test.

Here Are Top Points On Probe Into Baba Siddique’s Murder: