Anuj Thapan, accused in the Salman Khan house shooting case, has died while in police custody, according to several reports in Indian media.
Anuj Thapan, who was arrested on April 26 from Punjab, took his own life in the lock-up’s toilet at 11 am, despite being housed with 10 other inmates and guarded by 4-5 police officers.
Anuj Thapan and Sonu Subhash Chander were accused of supplying the weapons used in the shooting outside Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence on April 14.
The motives behind Thapan’s suicide are currently under investigation. Talking to Indian media, former Maharashtra senior police officer PK Jain said that any death in a lock-up is treated as a murder case, and an inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will be conducted, involving questioning of all police personnel at the station. Jain also noted that police typically ensure lock-ups are free from objects that could be used for self-harm or suicide.
