Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. File | Photo credit: Emmanuel Yogini
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said there is no need for celebrities in Mumbai to panic over the recent firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence. He was responding to a question raised by a Shiv Sena UBT MLC in the Legislative Council on Wednesday (March 18, 2026). “Security measures have been taken. I assure that Mumbai will not move towards gang wars, so I appeal to celebrities not to be afraid,” he said.
The Mumbai police have linked a series of high-profile firing incidents in Mumbai between 2024 and 2026 involving actor Salman Khan, politician Baba Siddique and filmmaker Rohit Shetty to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang. The police arrested at least three people in the Salman Khan case in April 2024; in the Baby Siddique murder case, the court framed charges against 27 accused; in February 2026, at least 13 arrests were made in the Rohit Shetty case. In all cases, the police pointed out that all the incidents were intimidation and organized crime in nature.
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On Wednesday (March 18, 2026), Shiv Sena UBT leader Sachin Ahir raised the concern on the floor of the house.
Mr. Fadnavis said that the brother of the main accused, Shubham Lonkar, who is linked to the Bishnoi gang, has been arrested and that the police are also trying to arrest Lonkar, who hails from Akola and has a track record of threatening political leaders. At the same time, he said, “Another accused, Anmol Bishnoi, who is arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), will also be taken into our custody and taken to Mumbai.”
Published – 19 Mar 2026 06:17 IST
