PANAJI: Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff escaped unhurt after unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening, leaving his driver and another person injured. Three shooters allegedly involved in the attack have since been apprehended at Rajasthan’s Kota railway station while travelling by train, sources said.
The three accused, two from Haryana and one from Maharashtra, are suspected to be associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
According to reports, the assailants had allegedly monitored Shroff’s weekly routine and knew that he regularly visited the Juhu football ground on Sundays. They are suspected to have tracked his movements and timed the attack as he was leaving the venue in his car.
Following the firing, the shooters allegedly fled along SV Road through Vile Parle and Andheri. They reportedly abandoned their motorcycle near Andheri West railway station before boarding a train towards Borivali. Preliminary intelligence suggested that the suspects subsequently crossed into neighbouring Gujarat in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media post that has gone viral. However, the police have not yet verified the authenticity of the claim.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde warned that gang violence would not be tolerated in Mumbai and that those responsible for the firing would face a strong response. Shinde visited Shroff at his residence in Mumbai’s Bandra area late Sunday night to enquire about his health and speak to his family. He assured them that adequate security would be provided.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Shinde said criminal networks needed to be uprooted again, drawing a parallel with action against gangs during the 1990s, when gang wars were prevalent in Mumbai. “Their roots were dug up in the 1990s when gang wars had flourished. The time has come to uproot them in the same way again,” he said.
Responding to a question about the firing, Shinde issued a stern warning to those behind the attack. “It will be tit for tat, bullets for bullets,” he said.
