Baba Siddique murder: Why Salman Khan is Lawrence Bishnoi gang’s Enemy No 1

Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang are once again making headlines after they not only claimed responsibility for the murder of politician Baba Siddique, but also issued a threat that anyone helping Bollywood actor Salman Khan will be in its crosshairs.

Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail, is suspected of issuing directives to his gang members from within.

But why does he want the actor dead? Let’s take a look.

Lawrence Bishnoi – The gangster who wants to kill Salman Khan

First, here’s a profile of Bishnoi and his gang rivalries.

Lawrence Bishnoi is a 31-year-old gangster from Punjab’s Ferozepur district.

He comes from a well-off family of agriculturalists.

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After his schooling up to Class 12, Bishnoi moved to Chandigarh and enrolled in Panjab University’s DAV College.

Involved in student politics, he became the president of the Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) in 2011-22.

However, his path would soon diverge into crime. His first criminal charges were reported in 2010, involving an attempt to murder.

Bishnoi’s gang has been involved in many violent rivalries and killing operations, especially in northern India, targeting influential figures in both politics and business.

The most shocking crime linked to Bishnoi is the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in 2022.

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His close aides was gangster-turned-politician Jaswinder Singh, aka Rocky, who was assassinated in May 2020 in Himachal Pradesh by rival gangster Jaipal Bhullar. The gang is also involved in cross-border smuggling operations, particularly drug trafficking.

Through his criminal network, Lawrence Bishnoi maintains considerable influence despite being imprisoned, frequently employing extortion and threats to further his objectives.

The reason

Bishnoi’s name is making headlines after he allegedly issued death threats to Salman Khan .

The threats are related to the 1998 poaching case in which Khan was accused of hunting and killing two blackbucks during the filming of Hum Saath Saath Hain in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur.

The Bishnoi community, which venerates the blackbuck as a sacred animal, considers Khan’s actions as a deep affront.

Former MP Jaswant Singh Bishnoi noted this cultural significance, by saying, “Deer is our identity, and it is necessary for them to survive.”

As part of a larger community narrative about honour and cultural identity, this historical background has fed Bishnoi’s desire for revenge and resulted in repeated threats against the actor.

Lawrence Bishnoi has made several alarming statements regarding the actor, including a 2018 court appearance where he threatened, “We will kill Salman Khan in Jodhpur. Everyone will know once we take action. I have not done anything as of now, they are accusing me of crimes for no reason."

He demands that Khan visit their shrine and issue a public apology for the poaching incident.

Khan and other individuals, such as singer Gippy Grewal, have been the target of his threats, which highlight a larger trend of intimidation.

Previous attempts

The severity of these threats is demonstrated by the police’s increased protection around Khan’s Bandra residence, Galaxy Apartments. The actor lives with his family there and currently a dozen police officers have been stationed.

In 2022, Salim Khan, Khan’s father, found a threatening letter while out for a morning stroll close to their residence. The note said, “Tumhara Moose Wala kar denge (you will end up like Moose Wala).

In March 2023, a threatening email mentioning an interview in which Bishnoi restated his intentions towards Khan was sent to the actor’s manager. Bishnoi claimed that Khan has degraded his community and that his intention was not money but rather an apology.

In recent years, tensions have escalated and the gang has publicly targeted Khan.

It was stated that Bishnoi ordered thug Sampat Nehra to scout Khan’s home in July 2022, but the operation was thwarted since the necessary weapons were not available.

In April this year, multiple rounds of bullets were fired outside Khan’s residence in Mumbai, prompting increased security around the actor.

Baba Siddique murdered

Siddique , a three-time MLA and former Maharashtra minister was shot dead near his son’s office, MLA Zeeshan Siddique, in Bandra East on Saturday night (October 12).

The incident was confirmed on Sunday after a post on Facebook by one Shubuu Lonkar, believed to be Bishnoi gang associate Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, claiming responsibility.

In the post, Lonkar claimed that the politician had been killed because of his link to India’s most wanted terrorist, Dawood Ibrahim, to Salman Khan and because of the death of Anuj Thapan, one of the arrested suspects in the shooting outside Khan’s house, in police custody.

According to authorities, his brother Pravin Lonkar, who was taken into custody on Sunday night, created the post while Lonkar remains jailed.

Siddique was renowned for throwing extravagant parties, and at his 2013 “iftar” celebration, the five-year cold war between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan was ended.

According to officials, the crime branch was also looking into a number of potential avenues, such as a potential contract killing, competition between businesses or politicians, or a threat related to a slum restoration project.

With inputs from agencies