Salman Khan death threat: ‘Accused wanted to increase Instagram followers’ say Police |

In a surprising turn in the investigation into the latest death threat against Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, police officials have uncovered the motive behind the act.
According to reports, the police nabbed a man named Mayank Pandya, on Monday, hours after the threat was sent in a WhatsApp to the Mumbai Traffic Police helpline. During their investigations, he reportedly confessed that he was motivated by a desire to boost his social media following.
During his interrogation, Pandya admitted he wanted to increase his Instagram following and hence planned on mimicking the death threats previously made by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.A report on freepressjournal.com states that Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 3), Dattatray Kamble, confirmed the message was sent from Pandya’s personal mobile device and on further investigations, they also confirmed that the man who helps run a juice shop with his parents has a documented history of mental illness. The Police verified his medical records that show he has been undergoing treatment since 2014, following a traumatic incident in which he witnessed his grandfather die from electrocution.
Pandya, 25, a resident of Vadodara, Gujarat, was detained by Mumbai’s Worli Police, after he sent a message, warning about his plans to bomb Khan’s car and hinted at an attack on the actor’s residence. The police’s helpline number was reportedly found through a simple Google search.
Authorities said that the family of the accused was ‘unaware’ of the message until officers arrived at their residence. “They were shocked,” a police source said, adding that the family has cooperated fully with the investigation.
Salman has been receiving multiple death theatres since April 2024, when two men on a motorcycle fired four rounds outside Galaxy Apartments. Over the months following the attack, the police have reported several threatening messages directed at Khan.