Three suspects have been arrested in Rajasthan’s Kota in connection with the shooting at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai, with CCTV footage from Surat railway station helping investigators track their movements.
The suspects were detained on Monday from the general coach of the Pune-Jaipur Express while allegedly attempting to travel to Delhi and then escape to Nepal, police said. They will be handed over to Mumbai Police for further investigation.
Shroff, 36, escaped without any gunshot wounds after three assailants allegedly opened fire at his car near Pushpa Park in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening. His driver and an autorickshaw driver were injured in the incident.
CCTV Footage Helped Track Suspects
According to police, the suspects travelled by road from Mumbai to Surat after the shooting and boarded the Pune-Jaipur Express. CCTV footage from Surat railway station showed them rushing to catch the train.
Kota Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam said police received information about their movements on Monday morning and acted quickly.
“This morning, we received information, prompting us to activate our team. We learned that the three primary suspects involved in the firing were travelling by train and were due to arrive in Kota,” Gautam told reporters.
She said police teams searched the train and detained all three suspects.
The accused have been identified in media reports as Rehan alias Sukka, Hritik Kurmi alias Roshan, and Phool Singh. Police said two were from Haryana and one from Bihar. Reports about the suspects’ ages and the identity of the third accused have differed, with Mumbai Police stating that none of the three was a minor.
Police said the suspects allegedly received Rs 50,000 collectively as an advance to carry out the attack. Investigators are questioning them to establish their individual roles and determine the motive.
Police Suspect Attack Was Intended to Kill Actor
Mumbai Police Deputy Commissioner of Police Raj Tilak Roushan said the manner in which the shooting was carried out suggested that the attackers intended to kill Shroff.
“The manner in which the firing was carried out suggests that the intention was to kill,” Roushan said.
He added that the motive remained unclear and would be established through questioning.
Police said two of the three suspects allegedly fired five to six rounds at the actor’s car. The motorcycle believed to have been used in the attack was later found in Mumbai’s Andheri area. The weapon used in the shooting had not been recovered as of Monday.
Shroff was leaving a football practice session when the incident occurred. Videos circulating online showed men firing at his moving car before fleeing on a motorcycle.
Shinde Visits Shroff, Promises Action
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited Shroff at his residence after the shooting. He said the actor had been shaken by the incident and suffered minor injuries from gunpowder and glass fragments.
Shinde warned that the government would not tolerate criminal intimidation or gang-related violence.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also described the shooting as serious and condemnable and assured the actor of security.
Meanwhile, the All Indian Cine Workers Association condemned the attack, calling for strict action against those responsible and better security for people working in the film industry.
Bishnoi Gang Claim Remains Unverified
Reports have circulated about a social media post and an audio recording in which a person claiming links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang allegedly takes responsibility for the shooting.
However, police have not confirmed the gang’s involvement, and the authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified.
Opposition leaders in Maharashtra have also criticised the state government over the incident, alleging a deterioration in law and order and questioning its ability to ensure public safety.
