In a shocking turn of events, Anuj Thapan, one of the accused arms suppliers in the firing case outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan‘s residence, died by suicide on Wednesday while in police custody, sources confirmed.
The 32-year-old Thapan, arrested from Punjab on April 26, was found dead in a toilet attached to the police lockup around 11 am. Thapan was among the 10 inmates housed in the lockup, guarded by four to five policemen.
Thapan and Sonu Subhash Chander were the alleged suppliers of weapons used in the firing incident that occurred outside Salman Khan’s Mumbai home on April 14. The motive behind Thapan’s extreme step is currently under investigation.
Former Maharashtra senior police officer PK Jain explained that any death in a lockup is treated as a murder case, and all the policemen present will be questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Jain highlighted the standard practice of ensuring lockups are thoroughly checked for any objects that could potentially be used for self-harm or suicide attempts. “There have been cases when people have died by suicide with a noose made from pajamas inside lockups,” he stated.
Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, the two other accused who allegedly carried out the firing, are also in police custody. Both were captured on CCTV leaving the area on a motorcycle after the incident.
All four accused are believed to be connected to the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in some way.
According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Bishnoi is involved in many crimes like kidnapping, murder, demanding money by force, smuggling weapons and drugs across borders, and smuggling illegal alcohol.
Since November 2022, Salman Khan’s security has been increased to a very high level because of threats from Lawrence Bishnoi and another gangster named Goldy Brar. Khan is allowed to carry a personal gun and travels in a vehicle protected against attacks.
The authorities are investigating the reasons behind Anuj Thapan’s death, as more shocking details continue to emerge in this case.
