Gulshan Kumar Murder: Convicted Shooter Abdul Merchant Dies in Jail, Case Resurfaces

• Abdul Merchant, convicted shooter in Gulshan Kumar's 1997 murder, died in Harsul Jail, Aurangabad, on January 8, 2026, due to a heart attack.
• Merchant was a trusted associate and 'sharp shooter' for gangster Abu Salem, who operated for Dawood Ibrahim's gang.
• Gulshan Kumar was assassinated outside Jiteshwar Mahadev Temple, Andheri, after refusing Abu Salem's extortion demands.
• The case exposed the deep nexus between the Mumbai underworld and Bollywood, sending a message to the entertainment industry.
• Merchant was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and conspiracy, marking a significant chapter in Indian criminal history.

Why It Matters: Abdul Merchant's death closes a chapter in the Gulshan Kumar murder, highlighting the enduring underworld-Bollywood nexus.