Ayushmann Khurrana gets threat from man posing as Bishnoi gang member

Police are trying to verify the sender's identity, sources said. They said investigators were analysing the voice in the audio clip against the sample of the supposed sender, whose name is already in police records.

In Short

• Mumbai Police verifying sender's identity using voice samples
• Tusshar Kapoor also got an extortion call, deemed a likely hoax
• Police checking if threats to both actors are connected: Sources

Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana received a threatening audio message from a man claiming to be associated with the dreaded Lawrence Bishnoi gang, with the sender demanding crores of rupees, Mumbai Police sources said on Wednesday.

Police are trying to verify the sender's identity, sources added. They said investigators were analysing the voice in the audio clip against the sample of the supposed sender, whose name is already in police records.

The development surfaced a day after it was widely reported that actor Tusshar Kapoor received an extortion call from the Bishnoi gang.

However, the police were trying to ascertain whether the messages received by the two actors could be connected.

They are also working to identify the gang or individuals behind the messages and determine whether the Bollywood personalities were genuinely under threat or were being intimidated by mischievous elements.

The purported threat messages have raised particular concern following last month’s firing incident targeting actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai.

The man who delivered the threat to Kapoor claimed to be Harry Boxer, an associate of Bishnoi's, and demanded Rs 5 crore. The message was eventually ruled a likely hoax by the Mumbai Police.

The technical team of the police force's Crime Branch analysed the audio recording of the call and compared the voice with an official sample of Harry Boxer available in its database.

According to senior police officials, the preliminary analysis found a mismatch between the two recordings, leading investigators to suspect that the call received by Kapoor may have been a hoax.

Police suspect that an unidentified person may have invoked the Bishnoi gang's name to intimidate the actor.

Meanwhile, the alleged threat message received by Khurrana came as his spy comedy, Udta Teer, continues its theatrical run.

The film collected Rs 19.45 crore nett at the Indian box office during its opening weekend. Besides Khurrana, the film also stars Sara Ali Khan.

- Ends
(With inputs from PTI)