Siddique killing: Bollywood celebs in crosshairs of underworld

The brazen killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique, famous for his iftar parties and his connections in Bollywood, outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s Mumbai office has again put the spotlight on the symbiotic relationship between showbiz and the underworld.

Siddique, who was gunned down on Saturday night, may have been targeted by the Lawrence Bishnoi because of his proximity to Salman Khan. Here are some instances of celebrities coming in the crosshairs of the underworld with cases of extortion, threats and even a killing:

*GULSHAN KUMAR: The killing of the T-Series boss in 1997 by the Mumbai underworld was the first major incident that shocked the country. Kumar would visit a Shiva temple in Mumbai’s western suburb of Andheri every morning and evening. On August 12, 1997, he went to the temple, prayed for 15 minutes, made his offerings. On his way back to his car, he was fired at by three assailants as he was opening the car door. He was declared brought dead to the Cooper hospital.

Before his murder, Gulshan Kumar had received threat calls on August 5 and August 9 the same year, police said.

*SALMAN KHAN: The superstar’s infamous blackbuck poaching case dating back to 1998 continues to haunt him. Incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi threatened to kill the actor during a court appearance in Jodhpur in 2018.

Since then, the star has received multiple threats to his life. In April this year, when gunshots were fired outside his Bandra residence by two shooters reportedly belonging to the Bishnoi gang who were later arrested.

Security around the actor has been upgraded after Siddique’s murder because of their close relationship.

*RAKESH ROSHAN: After the success of his 2000 movie “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai”, which marked the acting debut of his son Hrithik Roshan, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan survived an assassination attempt linked to the underworld after he reportedly refused to pay extortion money.

Two men, Sunil Vithal Gaikwad and Sachin Kamble, shot at Roshan on January 21, 2000, near his office in Mumbai’s Santacruz area. One bullet hit his left arm and the other grazed his chest. Roshan was able to get into his car and drive to the Santacruz police station. He was then taken to Nanavati Hospital, where he was operated on.

*SHAH RUKH KHAN: The “Jawan” star has had many run-ins with the Mumbai underworld and is known for standing up to threats.The actor, who was given Y+ security cover from the Maharashtra government in light of threats to his life in October 2023, was threatened by gangster Abu Salem on multiple occasions in the 1990s.

*PREITY ZINTA: Zinta publicly shared her experiences of receiving threats after speaking out against underworld involvement in the film industry during legal proceedings related to the 2001 film “Chori Chori Chupke Chupke”. The film’s producer Nasim Rizvi and financier Bharat Shah landed in jail for receiving funds from the underworld.

Zinta told a court in Mumbai that she received calls asking for Rs 50 lakh.