A 26-year-old man from Vadodara district in Gujarat, who allegedly sent a death threat to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, has been located and identified as mentally unstable, police said on Tuesday.

The man, identified as Mayank Pandya, allegedly sent a message through the Mumbai Traffic Police’s WhatsApp helpline on Sunday, threatening to bomb Salman Khan’s car and storm his residence to assault him.

Khan, who enjoys Y-Plus security cover, resides in the Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai’s Bandra area.

The Worli police registered a case under sections 351(2)(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to criminal intimidation. Security outside Khan’s home was promptly tightened.

After conducting an investigation, Mumbai Police tracked the message to a village located in the Waghodia taluka of Vadodara district. Accompanied by local police, a Mumbai team visited Pandya’s residence on Monday.

“During questioning, it was found that the man is mentally unstable and currently undergoing treatment,” Vadodara district Superintendent of Police Rohan Anand confirmed. “He was not arrested but has been served a notice to appear before the Mumbai police as and when required.”

This incident follows a previous security scare for Khan in April 2023, when two unidentified men opened fire outside his Bandra residence. Khan has also been on the radar of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which issued threats to the actor in the past.

Police have not ruled out further investigation into Pandya’s intent or potential influence by other parties.

 

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