After Salman, SRK receives death threat

Star gets ransom call for INR5 million

Bollywood's king Shah Rukh Khan has been caught in a security scare after Mumbai police received a direct threat targeting the actor. According to Indian media, a young man named Faizan, residing in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, allegedly called the Bandra police station on November 5 at 1:20PM, demanding a ransom of INR5 million. The call was traced back to Faizan's phone number, prompting a swift response from law enforcement. A team from Mumbai Police has since travelled to Raipur to conduct further investigations into the threat.

The caller reportedly warned of harm to Khan if the ransom wasn't paid, intensifying security concerns for the high-profile actor. "We are still investigating whether his phone was indeed stolen, and we have also asked him to present himself before the Bandra police in Mumbai for further questioning by them," said Santosh Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Raipur.

This incident follows an earlier death threat Khan received last October after the blockbuster success of his films Pathaan and Jawan. In response, Mumbai police elevated his security to a Y+ category, providing him with six armed guards on duty around the clock, a substantial upgrade from the previous two-person security detail, as reported by NDTV.

Security risks for Indian celebrities have been a mounting issue, with Khan not alone in facing direct threats. Earlier this year, Salman Khan also found himself in a dangerous situation when two members of the Bishnoi gang fired shots at his home. The gang, a feared criminal organisation from the desert region, considers blackbucks sacred, stemming from their religious beliefs. Salman, who in 1998 faced legal trouble for killing two blackbucks on a hunting trip, has since been a target of the gang. The group's jailed leader, Lawrence Bishnoi, has threatened the actor in the past, even vowing assassination over the hunting incident.

This criminal network has been linked to multiple violent incidents, including the tragic killing of popular Indian rapper Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022, allegedly orchestrated by Bishnoi. With high-profile celebrities including the two major Khans of Bollywood now frequent targets, the matter of celebrity safety in India has become increasingly complex, underscoring the serious measures needed to protect them amidst a landscape of fame, controversy, and ongoing security threats.