Tiger Shroff firing: No minor among 3 attackers caught in Kota, shooters promised money, life abroad
New Delhi: In a big breakthrough, three suspects allegedly involved in the firing at Bollywood actor ’s car in Mumbai have been apprehended at Kota railway station in Rajasthan. The trio were intercepted on the Pune-Jaipur Express after Mumbai Police shared information. A police source said that all three attackers received Rs 50,000 for carrying out the attack.
According to police, two of the suspects are from Haryana, and the third is from Bihar. Investigators are also looking into their alleged links with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. A purported social media post had earlier claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of the gang, but police have not yet verified its authenticity.
The firing took place in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday (October 18) evening when assailants targeted ’s vehicle as he was leaving a football ground. The actor escaped without a gunshot injury, while his driver and another person were injured.
An attempt to murder case has been registered against the three assailants. The case has been filed under Sections 109(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the Arms Act.
Who are the three suspects in Tiger Shroff firing case?
One of the three suspects is an 18-year-old from Sonipat, Haryana. The other two have been identified as 22-year-old Hritik Kumar alias Roshan and 18-year-old Rehan.
According to reports, Hritik is originally from Begusarai in Bihar but had been living in Andheri West, Mumbai, where he worked as a Rapido rider. Rehan is from Sonipat in Haryana.
“Two accused are from Haryana, and one is from Bihar. Two of the three arrested assailants had fired five to six rounds at Tiger Shroff’s car,” DCP Raj Tilak Roshan said during the press conference.
He added, “No weapon was recovered from three suspects. Mumbai Police have taken custody of the three suspects and are bringing them to Mumbai from Rajasthan. The motive behind firing on the actor is not yet ascertained. We will find it out after interrogating the suspected assailants.” He also noted that no complaint of a threat to the actor has been received.
Roshan also said, “ollowing the attack, crime branch teams analysed technical footprints and recovered the motorcycle used in the crime near Andheri (West) railway station. Tracing the vehicle owner’s details, investigators tracked the suspects’ escape route to Surat, where they boarded the Pune-Jaipur train.”
Police are investigating the roles allegedly played by each of them. Two are suspected of being hired shooters, while the third is believed to have assisted in their escape after the attack.
According to reports, Rehan’s family said he had dropped out of school after Class 9 and had previously been jailed in connection with an illegal firearms case. His maternal aunt said that after his release, he had taken up welding work.
How were the suspects caught in Kota?
The three were apprehended in a joint operation by the Rajasthan Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Kota City Police after Mumbai Police shared information about their movements. Kota Superintendent of Police Tejaswani Gautam said the local police acted immediately after receiving information from the Mumbai Crime Branch.
“We were informed by DCP Crime, Mumbai Police, about all three main accused. Immediately, our Kota City police team searched the entire train within 15 minutes,” Gautam said.
View this post on Instagram
The suspects are expected to be handed over to Mumbai Police, which is investigating the firing.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also confirmed the development and said coordination between Mumbai and Rajasthan Police led to the breakthrough.
“We have nabbed them from Rajasthan. They fled towards Surat. They took a Pune-Jaipur Express train. Mumbai Police shared info with Rajasthan Police, and that’s how Rajasthan Police nabbed them. Rajasthan Police arrested them from Kota station,” Fadnavis said.
Were shooters tracking Tiger Shroff?
Investigators are also examining whether the attack was planned after monitoring Tiger’s routine.
According to ANI, investigating agencies suspect that trained shooters may have conducted a recce before the firing. Sources cited in reports claimed the assailants were aware that Tiger regularly visited a football ground in Juhu on Sundays and allegedly tracked his movements before targeting his car.
After the attack, the suspects are believed to have travelled through Vile Parle and Andheri along SV Road. They abandoned the motorcycle used in the attack near Andheri West railway station before taking a train towards Borivali.
Preliminary intelligence cited by ANI suggested that they subsequently crossed Maharashtra and entered Gujarat before eventually boarding the Pune-Jaipur Express.
Earlier, images believed to be of the suspected shooters had also surfaced during the manhunt. One of the close-up images showed two men together, including one wearing a black cap.
Suspects promised money and move abroad
Rajasthan Police have also revealed details about what may have prompted the suspects to take part in the alleged attack.
According to police, the three were allegedly “lured with good money” and promised that they would eventually be settled abroad. Investigators are expected to examine who allegedly recruited them, who financed the operation and whether others were involved in planning the attack.
The alleged connection with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang also remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, security around Tiger and his family has been tightened. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the actor after the firing and assured his family of protection while warning that gang violence would not be tolerated in Mumbai.