Salman Khan house firing case: Plan was to hit actor at Panvel farmhouse

Accused in police custody in Bhuj. File pic/PTI

In the investigation into the Salman Khan house firing incident, it is suspected that the shooters had planned the attack during the Eid celebration at the Panvel Farmhouse, a location frequented by the actor and his family. However, this year's Eid celebration at the farmhouse was cancelled due to Salman's brother Arbaaz's recent marriage to makeup artist Sshura Khan. Instead, the family arranged the celebration at Sohail Khan's house in Mumbai.

The bike abandoned by the accused

Mumbai police sources revealed that Salman often celebrates Eid at his Panvel farmhouse with his entire family, including his father Salim Khan. The police suspected that the arrested shooters, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, planned the attack at Salman's farmhouse. The accused also rented a house in Harigram village in Panvel, approximately 7 kilometres from Khan's farmhouse. The Mumbai police also discovered that both shooters conducted reconnaissance outside the farmhouse multiple times on a bike they purchased locally for around Rs 20,000.

Salman at his farmhouse. File pic

An investigating officer said, "We suspect that both shooters planned to fire at Salman during the Eid occasion because he often celebrates Eid at his Panvel house with his family. Panvel was an easy target to escape after the firing because the farmhouse is located near a forest area. However, this year, Salman cancelled the Eid party celebration at his farmhouse." "On April 10, Salman was in Mumbai at his Galaxy Apartment with his entire family. Both shooters, Gupta and Pal, were also surveilling Salman's residence area on the same day. We suspect that the shooters planned to fire on Eid, but due to the large crowd outside his apartment, they postponed the plan. During recent investigations, the cops found that their bike was parked near Salman's residence for two days. The shooters were seen roaming near his residence," a police officer said.

The accused captured in CCTV; Cops along with divers looking for the gun

A police source, speaking anonymously, said, "Salman's brother, Arbaaz Khan, married makeup artist Sshura Khan on December 24 last year. This was the first Eid for the couple, and their celebration was arranged at other brother Sohail's residence, where many celebrities were invited. Due to this reason, the farmhouse plan for celebrating Eid was cancelled."

The accused being taken to court. File pic/PTI

"We also suspect that the shooters were receiving all such information from the Bishnoi gang members and they were in regular touch with them. The Crime Branch is tracing the locations of the callers," a Crime Branch officer revealed. The shooters tried to get rid of the gun by throwing it into the Tapi River in Gujarat near Surat. The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 9 sought help from divers, fishermen, and locals to find the gun. However, they haven't found anything yet. An officer said, "The gun used in the firing at Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment in Bandstand, Bandra, was of good quality. The bullet used was a 7.62 mm bullet." The shooters informed the officers that they arrived in Surat and then proceeded to the railway station. They walked along the railway track to reach the Ashwini Kumar railway bridge. Approximately 50-100 metres from this bridge, they threw the gun into the Tapi River. From there they escaped to Kutch Bhuj in Gujarat on a government bus.