Bollywood star Salman Khan has been advised to stop entertaining visitors at his house following the murder of his friend and veteran politician Baba Siddique on Oct 12.
Police are investigating the incident and have arrested four men, but the murder is believed to have been carried out by members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, with media reports suggesting that Mr Siddique’s connections to Bollywood personalities, particularly Salman, may have played a role in the crime.
Security around Salman’s residence in Bandra, Mumbai, has been strengthened, reported the Business Standard.
While the actor is yet to restrict people from visiting him, family sources revealed his household is exercising caution due to the gravity of the threats.
The Bishnoi gang has already threatened Salman several times. Their hostility stems from the actor’s involvement in a 1998 blackbuck poaching case.
The blackbuck is a sacred animal to the Bishnoi community, and the gang’s leader, Lawrence Bishnoi, reportedly vowed revenge on the actor following the incident.
On Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Harnath Singh Yadav accused Salman of killing a blackbuck, cooking it and eating it. He asked the actor to apologise for his actions, reported the Hindustan Times.
“People make mistakes. You are a big actor, a large number of people in the country love you,” said Mr Yadav. “My good advice to you is that you should respect the sentiments of the Bishnoi community and apologise to them for your big mistake.”
The threats to Salman resurfaced earlier this year when gunfire was reported outside his house, leading authorities to further intensify security around him.
The murder of Mr Siddique, a three-time legislator and former Maharashtra minister, has only compounded the risks for Salman. They have been close associates for more than two decades, and this was well-known in both political and Bollywood circles.
On Oct 12, Salman rushed to the hospital to console Mr Siddique’s grieving family. The next day, he visited their residence to pay his final respects.
A video capturing Salman leaving the residence with teary eyes has since gone viral, highlighting the pair’s deep bond.
