As the shocking news of an attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan shook the nation this morning, both the Mumbai Police and the Home Ministry are facing criticism for the ongoing high-profile attacks in Mumbai over the past year.
Over the past year, a disturbing pattern has emerged, with high-profile individuals, including Bollywood actors, politicians, and prominent businessmen, becoming targets of attacks and threats. From Bollywood icons like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan to politician Baba Siddique (who tragically lost his life in Mumbai), and Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, who faced a bomb threat at his residence, these incidents have left the city on edge.

The growing number of such cases has led to mounting criticism of the Mumbai Police and their ability to ensure the safety of Mumbai’s most prominent figures. The culprits behind these incidents range from individuals to dangerous criminal gangs, such as the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has claimed responsibility for many of them.

The opposition, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) in Maharashtra, strongly criticized the BJP-led government following the life-threatening attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, raising serious concerns about Mumbai’s law and order situation. They alleged that the attack was a calculated move to destabilize the city.

Salman Khan Targeted?

On April 14, Bollywood actor Salman Khan was jolted awake by the terrifying sound of gunshots as two men on a bike fired outside his residence, ‘Galaxy Apartments’ in Mumbai’s Bandra. The Mumbai Police later revealed that the shooters were allegedly hired by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which had reportedly planned to kill the actor.

After one and a half months, on June 4, a four-member team, including an officer from the Mumbai Crime Branch, visited Khan’s home to take statements from Salman and his brother Arbaaz. The brothers were questioned for a total of six hours.

On November 8, Mumbai police stated that a threat message for Actor Salman Khan from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was received at the Mumbai Traffic Control Room on November 7. The police further informed that a case has been registered against an unknown person by Worli Police.

A man from Karnataka for sending a threat message to actor Salman Khan along with a demand for ₹5 crore on traffic police’s helpline, was arrested according tor the Mumbai police. Mumbai police have said that the accused Bikaram Jalaram Bishnoi, who claimed to be the brother of Lawrence Bishnoi, is a native of Jalore district of Rajasthan, said Mumbai Police.

It was also reported that the shooting outside the actor’s residence in April was carried out by the alleged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who fired shots outside his home in Bandra, raising major concerns about his safety. The feud between Khan and Lawrence Bishnoi dates back to 1998, when the actor was accused of hunting and killing two blackbucks, an animal considered as sacred to the Bishnoi community. Apart from these leads nothing happened in the case.

Salman Khan’s Home Gets Bulletproof Windows and High-Tech Security

According to various reports, the windows of the actor’s home are now bulletproof. A hi-tech security system has been installed at his home, along with a high-resolution CCTV camera to spot any mysterious activity in the vicinity. Bulletproof glass has been installed to fortify the balcony from where Salman Khan waves to his fans. The actor stays in a 1 BHK flat on the ground floor of Galaxy Apartments. His parents live on the first floor.

#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Bulletproof glass installed in the balcony of actor Salman Khan's residence – Galaxy Apartment pic.twitter.com/x6BAvPOGyW

— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2025

Threat To The Actor Shah Rukh Khan

On November 7, The Mumbai Police had received an anonymous call with a threat to the life of Shah Rukh Khan, along with a demand for ₹50 lakh extortion. Shah Rukh Khan’s team promptly filed a complaint with Bandra Police after receiving the threat. This incident followed the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique. Upon receiving the complaint, Bandra Police took immediate action and started probing the case.

The police traced the call to Raipur and discovered that the phone belonged to Faizan Khan. However, Faizan claimed that his phone had been stolen earlier and that he was being framed. Faizan Khan had earlier complained to Mumbai police against Shah Rukh Khan over a dialogue in his movie Anjaam (1994) about deer hunting.
The Times of India report at that time said that investigations have found that Faizan used to conduct ‘thorough online searches’ to gather details about Shah Rukh Khan’s family’s security cover and movements. He also tracked the movements of the actor and his son, Aryan Khan. According to the report, This information was discovered through a forensic analysis of Faizan’s second mobile phone, which was recovered by the Bandra Police investigation team.

Attacks Outside ‘Antilia’ – Mukesh Ambani’s Residence

On February 25, 2021, an SUV with explosives was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai. Mansukh Hiran, who said he was in possession of the SUV before it was allegedly stolen, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021. A total of ten people are accused in the case including Sachin Waze, erstwhile encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma and a few other ex-cops. The NIA’s case is that Waze, in conspiracy with the other accused, parked the explosives-laden SUV owned by businessman Mansukh Hiran.

On July 16, Mumbai police arrested an engineer, for his social media post on a bomb threat at Mukesh Ambani’s son, Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding. The accused was identified as Viral Shah, a resident of Vadodara. Celebrities from across the globe, businessmen, billionaires and top politicians graced the event on July 12.

Baba Siddique’s murder

In October 2024, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique was shot dead by three attackers outside his son Zeeshan’s office in Mumbai’s Bandra East area. He was quickly rushed to Lilavati Hospital but, sadly, he did not survive his injuries.

The 66-year-old seasoned politician’s murder appeared to be a pre-planned attack carried out on a busy Dussehra night. The assailants fired a total of six rounds at the NCP leader, three of which hit Baba, according to DCP (Crime Branch) Datta Nalawade. Reports indicate that the shooters had been in Mumbai for 25-30 days prior to the incident and had scouted the location as well as Baba Siddique’s home and office in advance. Siddique was a Congress leader for 48 years before switching to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar earlier this year. His son, Zeeshan Siddique, is an MLA.

Fifteen days before the murder, Siddique received a death threat, prompting authorities to upgrade his security to Y-category protection. Tragically, a police constable was also fatally shot during the attack on Siddique.

Also Read: Attack On Saif Ali Khan Sparks Political Storm: ‘Who Is Safe In Mumbai?’