NEW DELHI, May 1: One of the two arms suppliers in the firing case outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai house Anuj Thapan died in a hospital where he was rushed to after attempting to end his life inside the lock-up of Mumbai Police’s crime branch, on Wednesday afternoon.
The 32-year old Anuj Thapan, who was arrested from Punjab on April 26, went to a toilet attached to the police lock-up at 11 am and took the extreme step, sources said. He attempted to commit suicide inside the toilet of the lock-up using a bed sheet. He was rushed to the State-run GT Hospital, where he was declared dead during treatment, the official said.
He stayed with 10 other inmates in the lock-up, guarded by four-five policemen. An accidental death report was registered at Azad Maidan police station in south Mumbai. “One of the accused in the case, namely, Anuj Thapan, has reportedly attempted suicide,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade said.
The accused was in the Crime Branch lock-up within the Mumbai Police Commissionerate office premises. The Crime Branch claims that Thapan provided weapons to the shooters, who had fired five rounds outside the actor’s house. He was arrested from Punjab along with Sonu Subhash Chander (37) and brought to Mumbai.
What drove Anuj Thapan to suicide is under investigation, sources said. Former Maharashtra senior police officer PK Jain said any death in a lock-up was reported as a murder case. “All the policemen in the police station will be questioned by the CID (Criminal Investigation Department),” Mr Jain said. The former top cop said police usually ensure lock-ups are checked for any object that could be used by a person to die by suicide.
“There have been cases when people have died by suicide with a noose made from pajamas inside lock-ups… A policeman always guards the lock-up to ensure inmates don’t escape, and also to keep an eye on suicide attempts,” Mr Jain said.
Two others, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal who allegedly fired the shots, are also in police custody. Both were seen on CCTV leaving the area on a motorcycle on the night the incident happened.
All the four accused are known to be directly or indirectly connected with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, whose main activities according to the anti-terror body National Investigation Agency (NIA) involve kidnapping, murder, extortion for ransom, cross-border smuggling of sophisticated weapons and narcotics, in-land smuggling of contraband, and illegal liquor smuggling.
The Mumbai Crime Branch last month said it had found strong evidence against Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi, after which the Crime Branch announced both as the most wanted suspects in the case.
Since November 2022, Salman Khan’s security level has been elevated to Y-Plus due to threats from Lawrence Bishnoi and another gangster, Goldy Brar. The actor is allowed to carry a personal firearm and drives an armoured vehicle.
(Manas Dasgupta)