Priest offers Rs 5 crore bounty for killing Aamir Khan

A prominent religious leader from Ayodhya has publicly offered a financial reward for the murder of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, escalating a controversy over the star's recent marriage into a serious threat that has raised widespread concerns about his safety and legal accountability. The threat follows weeks of protests and political criticism targeting Khan's personal life.

Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya, the head of the Tapasvi Chhawani religious institution in Ayodhya, announced a reward of 5 crore rupees (approximately $600,000) to anyone who kills Aamir Khan. He stated he would also bear all legal expenses for the attacker and ensure the money reached the attacker's family. The announcement was made in support of comments by Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane, who had previously labeled Khan the "brand ambassador of love jihad," a term used by some Hindu nationalist groups to allege a conspiracy of Muslim men marrying Hindu women to convert them.

The controversy stems from Khan's marriage to wellness professional Gauri Spratt in a private ceremony at his Bandra residence in Mumbai on July 5. The actor was previously married to Reena Dutta and filmmaker Kiran Rao. Following the...