Police Uncover Plot to Instill Terror by Attacking Salman Khan's Residence

In a recent development that has gripped the city of Mumbai, two individuals were apprehended for their involvement in a shooting incident outside the residence of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. The accused, identified as Vicky Gupta, 24, and Sagar Pal, 21, were arrested following their audacious act of firing outside Khan's Galaxy Apartments in the upscale Bandra area in the early hours of Sunday.

According to police officials, the primary motive behind this daring act was to instill fear. Investigations have revealed that prior to this incident, Gupta and Pal had conducted a reconnaissance mission of Aprita Farms, Khan’s expansive farmhouse located in Panvel, Raigad district, merely four days before the shooting. This farmhouse, situated approximately 60km from Mumbai, is known to be frequently visited by the actor.

The duo's meticulous planning included renting a house close to the farmhouse in Harigram, Panvel, about 10km away, to facilitate their surveillance activities. Their capture was executed by a Mumbai Crime Branch team in Bhuj, Kutch district of Gujarat, within a mere 48 hours post-incident. Both Gupta and Pal have since confessed to their roles in this crime.

Further investigations have shed light on a broader conspiracy angle, with police actively verifying details and corroborating them with evidence collected so far. A significant lead has emerged with the recovery of the weapon used in the firing—a pistol—delivered to the accused nearly 25 days before the incident by two individuals.

The timing of the attack, carried out in the early hours on a motorbike, was strategically chosen to maximize the impact of terror. Financial transactions related to this operation are under scrutiny as well, with police examining cash payments made to Gupta and Pal by their handlers and probing their bank accounts for any suspicious activity.

Pal’s proficiency with firearms was honed in his native village in Bihar’s West Champaran district, where he underwent training after mid-March before arriving in Mumbai in early April. In a related development, Mumbai police have detained Sonu Gupta, Vicky Gupta’s younger brother, from Chandigarh to investigate his potential involvement in this crime.

As part of their comprehensive investigation approach, police teams have also searched Vicky Gupta’s residence in West Champaran district and interrogated his family members. Similar enquiries are being conducted with Pal’s family to gather more insights into their backgrounds and possible motivations.

An intriguing twist in this case involves a Facebook account under the name Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. A post claiming responsibility for the firing was uploaded from this account approximately three hours before the incident. The IP address linked to this post was traced back to Portugal, raising suspicions that a VPN was used for posting it.

Police are diligently working to unravel how Gupta and Pal came into contact with Anmol Bishnoi and became associated with his gang. Although Anmol Bishnoi has not yet been formally accused in this case, his involvement appears evident from preliminary investigations.

The arrest of Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal marks a significant breakthrough in this high-profile case. They were presented before a Mumbai court which remanded them into police custody until April 25th as investigations continue to unfold.