One of the two arms suppliers involved in the firing incident outside actor Salman Khan's residence died by suicide while in police custody on Wednesday.
The deceased, identified as Anuj Thapan, aged 32, was arrested from Punjab on April 26. Sources reported that he took his own life by hanging in a toilet attached to the police lock-up at 11 am.
Anuj Thapan was among 10 other inmates in the lock-up, which was guarded by four to five policemen. He and another accused, Sonu Subhash Chander, were allegedly responsible for providing the weapons used in the firing incident outside Salman Khan's Mumbai home on April 14.
Investigations into the circumstances leading to Anuj Thapan's suicide are currently underway, as per sources.
Former senior police officer PK Jain stated to NDTV that any death occurring in a police lock-up is treated as a murder case, and all policemen at the police station will be questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Jain highlighted the usual procedures followed by police to prevent suicides in lock-ups and emphasized the importance of constant monitoring to prevent such incidents.
The other accused, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, who are alleged to have fired the shots, are also in police custody. Both were captured on CCTV leaving the area on a motorcycle on the night of the incident.
All four accused are believed to have direct or indirect connections with incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, known for various criminal activities as per the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The Mumbai Crime Branch recently announced Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi as the prime suspects in the case, following strong evidence against them.
Salman Khan's security level has been heightened to Y-Plus since November 2022 due to threats from Lawrence Bishnoi and another gangster, Goldy Brar. The actor is permitted to carry a personal firearm and travels in an armored vehicle for safety.
