Tiger Shroff was not the first target; shooters swapped celebrities after Mumbai recce: Sources
New Delhi: The shooters arrested for firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai had originally planned to target a completely different Bollywood celebrity, according to police sources. However, after arriving in the city, the gang abandoned that initial plot and turned their focus to Shroff instead.
Sources revealed that the suspects tracked Shroff through fan posts and Instagram pages, discovering that he visited a football ground in Juhu every Sunday evening. Realising he moved around with relatively light security compared to other film personalities, the shooters deemed him an easier target and decided to strike.
Three alleged shooters, two hailing from Haryana and one from Bihar—were arrested by Kota Police in Rajasthan and subsequently handed over to Mumbai Police for detailed interrogation. The attack unfolded on Sunday evening when motorcycle-borne men opened fire at Shroff’s vehicle outside the ground. While Shroff escaped unhurt, his driver and a fan sustained injuries.
US-based gangster Anil Pandit under scanner
As the probe widens, 32-year-old gangster Anil Pandit, who allegedly operates out of the United States, has emerged as the central suspect behind the conspiracy. Originally from Haryana’s Panipat district, Pandit is suspected of running an extortion and hit squad network across India.
Delhi Police have already been looking into his role in over a dozen extortion and shooting cases across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, including an earlier firing incident outside a Paschim Vihar gym linked to Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa.
Around 10 teams from the Delhi Police Special Cell are now tracking Pandit’s ground network to trace weapon suppliers and cut off financial backing given to the shooters.
Viral audio clip and threats to film industry
Investigators are also verifying a social media post and a widely circulated audio clip allegedly released by Pandit, where he claims responsibility for the attack. In the recording, the speaker claims Shroff was attacked because he ignored warnings against collaborating with superstar Salman Khan.
The speaker further demanded that Khan tender an apology to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the Bishnoi community over the 1998 blackbuck poaching case, warning that other industry figures close to Khan could face similar attacks if he fails to do so. Police are examining the audio clip and tracking digital footprints to establish the full extent of the syndicate’s operational links.