2 women took gun to Mumbai, 3 police Innovas brought shooters back: Inside Tiger Shroff firing case
New Delhi: The investigation into the firing incident involving Bollywood actor has widened, with the Delhi Police Special Cell arresting four more people who allegedly helped supply the weapons used in the attack. The accused have been identified as Kunal, Sumit, Radha and Babita, all aged between 19 and 23. The latest arrests come after the three alleged shooters, Hritik Kumar alias Roshan, Rehan and Phool Singh, were caught from a train at Kota Railway Station in Rajasthan while allegedly trying to escape.
According to police sources, the four were allegedly part of a module linked to the g and helped transport a weapon to Mumbai ahead of the . They have now been handed over to Mumbai Police for further investigation.
How weapons reached Mumbai
On Anil Pandit’s alleged instructions, Kunal procured a pistol and 20 cartridges from Amritsar, according to police sources. Investigators claim that Kunal had met Radha around two months before the attack. He allegedly told her about his activities and later persuaded her to carry the weapon to Mumbai.
According to investigators, Kunal dropped Radha and Babita at New Delhi Railway Station on October 15, three days before the attack. The pistol was allegedly concealed inside Radha’s bag. During their journey to Mumbai, Kunal remained in touch with the two women through an encrypted app and passed on instructions allegedly received from Pandit. Radha and Babita reached Dadar on October 17 and checked into a hotel. At around 11 am, a minor boy allegedly arrived near the hotel and collected the bag from Radha.
Tiger Shroff firing accused shifted between cars
According to an NDTV report, elaborate precautions were taken while transporting the three accused from Kota to Mumbai. The police convoy allegedly changed routes three times, while the accused were shifted between vehicles at least four times during the nearly 900-km journey. The convoy reportedly left Kota at around 10:30 am on Tuesday in two Innova Crystas, one white and the other silver metallic.
Initially, the three accused were travelling in the white Innova, while police personnel were in the other car. At around 6:45 pm, the vehicles stopped near Bharuch in Gujarat, and the accused were moved to the silver Innova. The white vehicle subsequently slowed down, while the other car reportedly moved ahead at a much higher speed.
Later in the night, another Maharashtra-registered Innova carrying officials in plain clothes joined the convoy. The vehicles assembled again at a petrol pump in Valsad before crossing Vapi and entering Maharashtra at around 10:50 pm.
After a journey lasting about 16 hours, the convoy reached Mumbai at around 2:30 am. The accused were then taken for a medical examination. Mumbai Crime Branch sources said the accused were also questioned during the journey.
What happened after firing at Tiger Shroff’s car?
At around 7 pm on October 18, Hritik, Rehan and Phool Singh allegedly carried out the attack involving Tiger Shroff’s car in Juhu. Following the firing, Pandit allegedly contacted Kunal and informed him that the shooters were stranded in Mumbai. Kunal was then allegedly asked to help arrange their escape from the city. Radha and Babita, meanwhile, boarded the Dadar-Haridwar Express on the same day to return to Delhi.
The two women were apprehended at New Delhi Railway Station on October 20. Kunal and Sumit were arrested in Sonipat.
The three shooters were later arrested from the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express at Kota Railway Station in Rajasthan as they attempted to flee. According to police, they were eventually planning to travel to Nepal.
Four arrested for supplying weapon
Kunal and Sumit are residents of Sonipat in Haryana, while Radha and Babita are from Uttar Pradesh.
According to investigators, Kunal had recently been released on bail in another case when he allegedly came in contact with gangster Anil Pandit through a friend from Harsana village in Haryana. Pandit, who has claimed responsibility for the attack, allegedly operates from the US. Investigators claim that Kunal remained in contact with him through an encrypted messaging application. After their arrest in Kota, Hritik, Rehan and Phool Singh were handed over to Mumbai Police.
What happened during attack on Tiger Shroff?
The firing took place when Tiger Shroff was returning after playing football in Juhu at around 7 pm on October 18. The 36-year-old actor was reportedly sitting in the front passenger seat of his BMW when the attackers opened fire. Tiger escaped unhurt, while his driver and an autorickshaw driver were injured.
Videos that emerged after the incident showed two men allegedly firing multiple rounds at the vehicle. Following the attack, Tiger was seen getting out of the car and later driving the vehicle himself to take his injured driver to the hospital.
The two alleged shooters then joined a third person on a motorcycle and fled the area. A motorcycle suspected to have been used during their escape was later recovered abandoned in Andheri.
According to investigators, the three then made their way to Surat and boarded a Jaipur-bound train. Their alleged plan was to reach Delhi by bus before eventually escaping to Nepal. Police intercepted them at Kota Railway Station before they could carry out the plan.