Police say hoax threats linked to Baba Siddique murder were sent to traffic police number as it is publicly available
Mohmmad Mustafa threatened to shoot Salman Khan and Zeeshan Siddique; (right) 24-year-old Hussain Shaikh demanded ransom in his threat
Over 17 days, the Mumbai traffic police’s WhatsApp number received three threatening messages in connection with the recent murder of Baba Siddique. The traffic and Worli police explained that these threats came through WhatsApp since the number is publicly available and easily accessible.
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The police successfully identified the three people allegedly behind these threats. "The WhatsApp number is on all public platforms and is widely publicised so citizens can report their issues. However, these threats create panic. We followed protocol and notified the Worli police, and they investigated," said a traffic police officer, speaking anonymously.
Salman Khan
According to the Worli police, these threats were hoaxes. “All the messages were false and created panic by warning that Salman Khan would face ‘consequences like Baba Siddique,’” they said.
On November 2, a message stated that Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should resign or face similar consequences. The traffic police notified the Worli police, who, with the ATS and Crime Branch, identified the sender as a woman from Ulhasnagar who was reportedly mentally unstable. "She was handed over to Worli police for further investigation," the police said.
In another case, on October 29, a message demanded Rs 2 crore and threatened that Zeeshan Siddique and Salman Khan would be shot on October 30 if the money wasn’t sent. Following a technical investigation, the Worli police tracked down Azar Mohammad Mustafa, a 56-year-old unemployed man from Bandra, who was subsequently arrested.
On October 17, a message demanded R5 crore from Bollywood actor Salman Khan, stating that he would face consequences like Baba Siddique if he didn’t pay. The Worli police registered an FIR and arrested a 24-year-old vegetable vendor, Shaikh Hussain, from Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
Rs 5cr
Ransom demanded by one of the issued threats
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