Anuj Thapan, accused in Salman Khan house firing case, dies by suicide in jail.

Anuj Thapan, 32, was arrested in Punjab on April 26. While in police custody, he went to the toilet attached to the lock-up at 11 am and took his own life. Thapan was one of 10 inmates in the lock-up, which was guarded by four to five policemen. He, along with another accused Sonu Subhash Chander, was accused of providing the weapons used in firing outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai home on April 14.

The motive behind Thapan’s suicide is currently under investigation. Former senior police officer PK Jain stated that any death in a police lock-up is treated as a murder case. He also mentioned that the CID will question all the policemen at the station. Jain explained that police typically ensure lock-ups are free of objects that can be used for suicide, and there are usually officers present to prevent escape and monitor for suicide attempts.

Two other suspects, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, who allegedly 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 ties to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. According to the National Investigation Agency, Bishnoi’s activities include kidnapping, murder, extortion, cross-border weapon and narcotics smuggling, as well as other illegal activities.

Recently, the Mumbai Crime Branch announced Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi as the most wanted suspects in the case, following the discovery of strong evidence against them. Salman Khan’s security level has been elevated to Y-Plus since November 2022 due to threats from Lawrence Bishnoi and another gangster, Goldy Brar. This allows the actor to carry a personal firearm and travel in an armored vehicle.