Blackbuck Poaching To Death Threat: Controversy Continues To Pursue It's Favourite Child Salman Khan

Salman Khan, 57, has acted in over 100 movies in his career spanning almost 35 years. He has portrayed various well-known characters on the big screen, from a sweet romantic lead to a flamboyant action hero. He gained quick fame on television as the friendly and funny host of Bigg Boss, which is the Indian adaptation of Big Brother.

However, behind the glitter, Khan seems to have a dark side. While filming his hit movie Hum Saath Saath Hain in 1998, the Bollywood star allegedly killed two blackbucks, a protected antelope species, in Kankani village’s Bhagoda ki Dhani near Jodhpur. As a result, he faced legal charges under section 9/51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.

The incident is now commonly referred to as the 1998 Blackbuck Case. Along with Khan, his co-actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and Tabu were also charged under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and under Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code. However, they were ultimately found not guilty due to lack of evidence.

(Image credit: Reuters)

According to reports, in October of 1998, while driving around Kankani village in a gypsy car, the actors encountered a group of blackbucks and Salman had reportedly killed two of them. Upon realising that they might have been seen, the group of actors allegedly fled the scene.

The Bishnoi community, who live in Rajasthan, consider blackbucks to be sacred and protect the species as part of their religious beliefs. Poonamchand Bishnoi, who is a member of this sect, asserted that he witnessed the incident. Bishnoi subsequently testified against the group of actors, maintaining that he observed them hastily leaving the area.

Last year, Khan had reportedly received a threat letter that cautioned him of a fate like that of Sidhu Moosewala, a Punjabi singer who was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29, 2022. Although Lawrence Bishnoi was accused of sending the threat letter to Khan, he denied any involvement.

As a result of the threat, the Maharashtra government had provided the actor with a Y+ security cover in November, which entails having four armed security personnel accompanying him at all times. Furthermore, in August of the same year, the Mumbai Police had issued Khan a firearm license for self-defence purposes.

However, once again, this year, Bishnoi has found himself at the centre of controversy. Currently in Bathinda Central Jail for allegedly masterminding the murder of Moosewala, he has again issued a 'death threat' to Khan. In an interview on Hindi news channel ABP, Bishnoi threatened the actor with dire consequences if he refused to apologise to the Bishnoi community for poaching blackbucks.

During the interview, Lawrence expressed his displeasure with Khan for allegedly causing humiliation to his community by hunting blackbucks. "There is anger in our society for Salman Khan. He humiliated my society. A case was filed against him but he did not apologise. If he does not tender an apology, be ready to face the consequences. I will not depend on anyone else," he said.

From the 1998 blackbuck poaching to the 2002 hit-and-run case that resulted in the death of one person and the injury of four others, Salman Khan has been in the news for various wrong reasons over the years. He has also been accused of physically abusing his former girlfriend, Aishwarya Rai.

Salman-Aishwarya saga:

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the much-talked-about romantic relationship between Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was a frequent topic in gossip columns. Their love affair began during the filming of their movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999 and ended in a dramatic manner in 2002. Despite once being deeply in love, the two no longer acknowledge each other today.

The situation took a negative turn in 2001 when Salman reportedly went to Aishwarya's residence in November. Witnesses claimed that he repeatedly knocked on the door and demanded entry. Some say, he even threatened to commit suicide if she refused to allow him inside.

Sources indicate that the reason for the spectacle was Salman's desire for a commitment of marriage from Ash. However, she was in no hurry to get married, back then.

In 2002, Aishwarya confirmed that they have ended their relationship. In an interview, she had revealed disclosed that he was unable to accept it. "He would call me and talk rubbish. He also suspected that I was having affairs with my co-stars. There were times when Salman got physical with me, luckily without leaving any marks and I would go to work as if nothing happened."

She further claimed that despite all the abuse, she had supported him during his darkest times and had endured his alcohol-related mishaps.

Salman Khan hit-and-run case:

A trial court had found Salman Khan responsible for the death of a man with his SUV in May. The incident occurred on September 28, 2002, after the actor had been drinking all night. His Toyota Land Cruiser hit five men who were sleeping outside a bakery in Bandra. Nurullah Mahboob Shaikh, the sole breadwinner of his family, died immediately, and the other four men were injured, one losing his leg. They claimed that the compensation they received was inadequate. Salman had claimed that his driver Ashok Singh was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident.

The occurrence highlighted the stark disparities in India's economic and entertainment capital, which allegedly has more billionaires and homeless people than any other city. The fact that these events did not affect his career is evidence of how wealthy Indians exploit and misuse their power without consequences.

Despite the legal proceedings against him, Khan's career has remained unaffected. He has a massive and devoted fan following, consisting primarily of young men, who refer to him as "bhaijaan". His legendary fandom has even inspired a film titled Being Bhaijaan, which tracks a group of Khan's fans throughout India.

(Image credit: Reuters)

Even though he is often involved in controversies, Khan still continues to remain a powerful Bollywood insider. He maintains strong relationships with several big names in the industry, such as Sanjay Dutt, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan. Actress Katrina Kaif has even referred to him as a 'friend for life'.