A Rapido driver, a labourer and a minor have been arrested for allegedly opening fire at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff's car in Mumbai's Juhu area on Sunday night, police said. The three suspects were apprehended aboard a train in Rajasthan's Kota while allegedly attempting to flee to Delhi before escaping to Nepal. Police sources said they were paid an advance of Rs 50,000 to carry out the attack.
According to police sources, the three accused were collectively paid an advance of Rs 50,000 to execute the attack. Investigators are questioning them to establish each person's role and ascertain whether all three were directly involved in the shooting.
The 36-year-old actor was seated in the front of the car, wearing a muscle tee and waving to fans through the rolled-up windows when the gunfire erupted. Video footage showed one man firing at the vehicle with a gun held in both hands, while another, wearing a cap, opened fire from the side. A third man was waiting nearby on a motorcycle, and the three suspects were seen fleeing the scene on it, the footage showed, NDTV reported.
The attackers allegedly left their motorcycle near Andheri West railway station before taking a train towards Borivali.
The actor, son of 1980s Bollywood star Jackie Shroff, escaped without injuries, while his driver and the driver of an autorickshaw sustained injuries in the incident, police said.
"We covered the exit points, platforms and various other locations to apprehend the accused. It was the Pune-Jaipur Express. We received the information around 9:45 am. The Mumbai Police have arrived, and we will hand the accused over to them. Based on preliminary questioning, one of the accused is a Rapido rider. The other two, one of whom is a minor and the other, Rehan, work as labourers in Sonipat. Preliminary questioning revealed that they intended to travel to Delhi by this train and then escape to Nepal from there," Kota Superintendent of Police Tejaswani Gautam told reporters.
Sources said the accused were continuously sharing messages and location details through Signal and Telegram. Police have yet to recover the firearm used in the shooting. The suspects were apprehended while travelling in a general-class train compartment.
"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. Acting on this information, our team, within just 15 minutes, set a trap and thoroughly searched the entire train. Through this swift action by the Kota City Police, we have apprehended all three suspects responsible for the firing," officer Tejaswani Gautam said.
"The names of these three individuals are: Rehan, alias Sukka, from Sonipat, Haryana; Hritik Kurmi, alias Roshan, from Begusarai, Bihar, who had been residing in Mumbai, Maharashtra, for the past few years; and one minor. We have detained all three, and we will now hand them over to the Mumbai Police," the officer said.
ALSO READ: Tiger Shroff Firing: Video Of Actor Meeting Fans Before Shooting Surfaces Online
A viral social media post has attributed the attack to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, although police have yet to authenticate the claim.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who visited the actor late Sunday night, issued a stern warning, saying that “bullets would be answered with bullets” and asserting that the government would not allow gang wars to take root in Mumbai. Shinde added that the actor had sustained injuries to his left hand from gunpowder and glass splinters.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.