The Mumbai Crime Branch’s investigation into the October 18 firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff has turned up a disturbing detail: the actor was not the first choice. According to police, the attackers were initially tasked with scouting the residence of actor Emraan Hashmi, but despite making local inquiries, they could not find his home. They reportedly informed their handlers about the failure and moved on to other targets.
Police allege the group had earlier carried out recces at the homes of other prominent actors, including Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. In Aamir’s case, officials say the attackers were unaware that he had shifted from western Mumbai to south Mumbai, which is why they could not trace him. Police maintain that Salman Khan has long been a target of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
After the failed attempts, the attackers reportedly learned that Tiger Shroff visits Juhu’s Pushpa Narsee Park every Sunday to play football. Investigators say that routine made him an accessible target and the group decided to act on it. Police say Shroff narrowly escaped, while his driver and a blogger were shot in the attack. The shooting took place in Juhu, and individuals claiming links to the Bishnoi gang had claimed responsibility. Police have so far arrested 11 accused in the case.
Court Hearing And The Weapons Trail
Four accused arrested from Sonipat, Haryana, were produced before a Mumbai court on Monday. They are Radha Verma (21), Babita Rao (21), Kunal Jaminsingh (21) and Sumit Saroliya (19). The court remanded them to police custody until October 28.
Police told the court that these four supplied weapons to the shooters. Kunal Jaminsingh was allegedly in contact with Anil Pandit, a foreign-based Bishnoi gang member who claimed responsibility for the attack. According to the police account, Radha Verma was handed a pistol, and she and Babita Rao then met Rehan Ansari, one of the attackers, in Dadar on October 17 and gave it to him. Police further stated that the shooters were instructed to return the weapon immediately after the attack and were assured it would be recovered right away.
Why It Matters: Celebrity Security And Gang Intimidation
The latest details point to a pattern in which Bollywood figures are treated as high-visibility targets by organised criminal networks. Investigators have said the alleged motives include extortion, asserting the gang’s dominance and spreading fear among the public. The fact that the attackers reportedly worked through a list of actors, and shifted targets based on what was easiest to locate, underlines how the threat extends well beyond any single celebrity. It also shows how routine public habits, such as a weekly football game, can become security vulnerabilities for public figures.
The case also echoes earlier incidents, including the 2024 firing outside Salman Khan’s Bandra residence, in which investigators likewise reported recces and links to the same gang.
The Investigation Widens
Beyond the four Sonipat arrests, police arrested a suspected arms and logistics facilitator, Pranjal Thakral, from Indore, taking the total to 11. The alleged shooters were earlier arrested in Kota, Rajasthan, after travelling through Surat, in an operation involving the Rajasthan Anti-Gangster Task Force. As the Crime Branch works to trace the wider network and the handlers behind the plot, further arrests and disclosures are expected. All claims in the case remain police allegations and are subject to court proceedings.
.jpg)
