Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the Mumbai Police would track down those involved in the firing incident targeting actor Tiger Shroff and their handlers, asserting that such acts would not be tolerated.
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Police have obtained important leads about the suspects’ identities and expect to arrest them soon, Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur. He said the accused were operating from outside Maharashtra, possibly from abroad, and that the police would coordinate with other states and central agencies to apprehend them.
“We will also track down their handlers, who hide elsewhere and send instructions from there,” the chief minister said, adding that those responsible would not be spared.
Unidentified assailants opened fire at Shroff’s car at around 7 pm on Sunday as he was leaving a football club in Mumbai’s Juhu area. The actor escaped direct gunshot injuries, while his driver sustained injuries.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde later said Shroff had suffered injuries to his left hand from gunpowder and glass fragments. Shinde also said the actor and his mother, Ayesha Shroff, were shaken by the incident and assured them of the state government’s support.
The Mumbai Police have registered a case against three unidentified persons under Sections 109(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch.
The Crime Branch has expanded its search operation to Gujarat, with three to four specialised teams conducting raids at suspected locations.
Investigators suspect the attackers were trained shooters who conducted reconnaissance of Shroff’s movements before carrying out the firing. According to sources, they allegedly knew that the actor regularly visited the Juhu football ground on Sundays and monitored his routine to time the attack as he left the venue.
The suspects reportedly fled along SV Road through Vile Parle and Andheri, abandoned their motorcycle near Andheri West railway station and boarded a train towards Borivali. Investigators suspect they subsequently crossed into Gujarat to evade the police.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the attack in a viral social media post, but the police have yet to verify the post’s authenticity.
Shinde visited Shroff’s residence on Sunday night and assured the family of state support. “Strict action will be taken, and threats against public figures will not be tolerated,” he said.
Security has also been tightened outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments residence in Mumbai’s Bandra area. Police personnel wearing bulletproof jackets and police vehicles were seen outside the building following the firing incident.
Fadnavis said he had spoken to Shroff and assured him that the incident was being taken seriously and that the accused would be identified and apprehended.
Describing the perpetrators as cowards, the chief minister said the police took every threat seriously and would pursue those operating outside Maharashtra and abroad through inter-agency coordination. He also defended the Mumbai Police as a professional force that enjoyed public confidence, including among members of the film industry.
Fadnavis criticised the Opposition over its comments on the government’s handling of law and order, referring to the Mansukh Hiran murder case and alleged irregularities in police transfers and postings during the previous government.
(With agency inputs from ANI and PTI)
