Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 4 (HBTV): The family members of two accused in the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's house in Mumbai have written to the Maharashtra and Bihar governments, requesting their protection and claiming that a conspiracy was being orchestrated by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's henchmen to get them killed. 

This comes after Lawrence Bishnoi gang members Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal were arrested on April 14 this year from Gujarat for firing at Bollywood actor Salman Khan's house. 

The letters were written by Sonu Gupta, brother of accused Vicky Gupta, resident of Majharia in the West Champaran district of Bihar and the second letter was sent by Rahul Pal, brother of accused Sagar Pal, who also lives in the same area. 

Both the accused are currently lodged in Taloja jail. It is said that both the brothers had met the accused, where they were allegedly told that some conspiracies were being hatched to kill them by Dawood Ibrahim's henchmen. 

The letters allege that they would meet the same fate as their co-accused Anuj Thapan, who died in police custody in May.

Jailed accused Vicky Gupta's lawyer also spoke to ANI on the matter and said, "Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal have given an application to the authorities for protection of their lives. They say that they are being threatened by D Company. The accused have informed their families about this." 

"The victim (Salman Khan) has known relations with a gangster, perhaps he wants to get the accused killed, this is the allegation of the accused (Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal). We've written to the Central government, Maharashtra and Bihar governments for their protection." 

On April 14, two bike-borne men opened fire outside Salman Khan's residence in the suburban Bandra area.

The duo Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal were later arrested from Gujarat. 

Anuj Thapan (32) was arrested on April 26 from Punjab along with one other person in the case. Thapan was found dead on May 1 inside the washroom of the crime branch's police lock-up. 

Earlier, the Mumbai Police invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against all the accused arrested in connection with the firing incident. 

Mumbai Crime Branch officials said that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi have been declared wanted accused in connection with the case. Anmol Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the firing outside Salman's residence in a Facebook post following the attack.    

(ANI)