A shaken and visibly distressed Tiger Shroff was assured of full state protection late Sunday night, as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde arrived at the actor’s Bandra residence following a shock shooting incident.
Condemning the targeted attack on Shroff’s vehicle, Shinde issued a stern ultimatum to the city’s underworld, declaring that the government will not tolerate the resurgence of gang wars and vowing a “tit for tat” response to organised crime.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister drew parallels to the state’s aggressive crackdown on organised crime decades ago. “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,” Shinde stated.
When questioned about the administration’s response to the attack, Shinde was unequivocal: “It will be tit for tat, bullets for bullets.”
He emphasised that the government will strictly not tolerate any attempts to intimidate celebrities or establish criminal dominance in Maharashtra.
Shinde also noted that Shroff and his family, particularly his mother Ayesha Shroff, were under considerable mental stress following the incident, as the actor had no prior disputes or altercations that would invite such an attack.
Speaking to reporters in Nagpur on Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that the police have obtained crucial leads on the attackers’ identities.
Fadnavis revealed that the accused were operating from outside Maharashtra, and potentially from abroad. He assured that the state police are actively coordinating with other state forces and seeking assistance from central intelligence agencies to track down the network.
“We will also track down their handlers, who hide elsewhere and send instructions from there,” Fadnavis stated, reaffirming that the safety of citizens and public figures will not be compromised.
Three individuals allegedly involved in the assassination attempt on Tiger Shroff have been apprehended at the Kota railway station in Rajasthan, according to an NDTV report. The suspects were reportedly intercepted while travelling by train.
Among the three arrested accused, two hail from Haryana, while one is a resident of Maharashtra, the NDTV report said.
According to ANI, investigating agencies suspect the assailants monitored Shroff’s weekly routine, specifically noting his regular Sunday visits to the Juhu football ground. The shooters timed their ambush perfectly, striking just as the actor was leaving the venue in his car.
Following the shootout, the attackers utilised a pre-planned escape route along SV Road, travelling through the Vile Parle and Andheri areas. They reportedly abandoned their getaway motorcycle near the Andheri West railway station before boarding a train toward Borivali.
Initial intelligence gathered by the police indicated that the suspects later crossed the Maharashtra border into neighbouring Gujarat to evade capture, ANI reported.
The incident took place on Sunday evening when unidentified assailants opened fire at Shroff’s vehicle in Mumbai’s Juhu area. While the actor escaped unhurt, his driver and another individual sustained injuries during the attack.
Shortly after the shooting, a viral social media post surfaced claiming that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was responsible. The Mumbai Police have yet to verify the authenticity of this claim.
According to the NDTV report, all three shooters are suspected to be closely associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, corroborating earlier claims made on social media.
The Mumbai Police have taken serious note of the shooting and formed a special team to trace the assailants. Shinde assured that the culprits would be arrested soon and face strict legal action. Additionally, Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti has been instructed to conduct a comprehensive review of the security arrangements provided to actors and other members of the film industry.
