Inside 24-hour chase: How Mumbai Police tracked down 3 men who fired at Tiger Shroff
New Delhi: Three men accused of opening fire near Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai have been detained in Rajasthan’s Kota after a coordinated operation by Mumbai Crime Branch and Rajasthan Police. The accused were intercepted at Kota railway station on Monday morning while travelling on the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express, bringing an end to the search that began after Sunday’s shooting.
According to police, the attack took place at around 7 pm on Sunday as Shroff was leaving a football club in Mumbai. The actor escaped unhurt, but his driver and an autorickshaw driver were injured in the incident.
The three accused are reportedly from Bihar and Haryana. Police are questioning them to establish their individual roles and determine the motive behind the firing.
Police form 20 teams to track accused
Following the shooting, investigators formed around 20 special teams to identify and trace the suspects. Police examined the available video footage, conducted technical investigations and followed several leads to establish the accused’s movements.
Investigators also traced the motorcycle allegedly used in the crime. The vehicle was reportedly abandoned near Andheri West railway station.
As the investigation progressed, police received information suggesting that the accused had travelled towards Rajasthan by train. Mumbai Crime Branch shared the inputs with Rajasthan Police, following which Kota Police intercepted the suspects at the railway station.
The accused were travelling in a general compartment and were reportedly heading towards Delhi. According to police, they allegedly planned to escape to Nepal.
Video shows attackers opening fire
Footage of the incident reportedly shows Shroff waving at fans through the rolled-up windows of his car when the attackers opened fire. One man can be seen holding a gun with both hands and firing towards the vehicle, while another appears to shoot from the side.
A third man was reportedly waiting on a motorcycle. The suspects then fled from the scene on the bike, according to the footage.
The actor, who is the son of veteran Bollywood star Jackie Shroff, was not injured in the shooting. Police confirmed that two other drivers sustained injuries.
Signal messages and payment under investigation
Sources said the accused allegedly used Signal and Telegram to share messages and location details. Police are examining these communications as part of the investigation.
According to police sources, the three men collectively received an advance payment of Rs 50,000 to carry out the attack. Investigators are now questioning them to determine who arranged the payment and whether others were involved.
The weapon allegedly used in the shooting has not yet been recovered, police said. The suspects were detained when the train stopped at Kota at around 10.17 am on Monday.
A Mumbai Crime Branch team has taken the accused into custody. The case is being investigated by the Anti-Extortion Squad, which is examining the sequence of events, the suspected motive and the possible involvement of additional individuals.