MUMBAI: The firing attack on actor Tiger Shroff in Juhu has heightened security concerns in Bollywood and the real estate sector, with leading private security agencies reporting a rise in enquiries from people seeking enhanced personal protection, industry sources said.On average, leading licensed security agencies in Mumbai are receiving three to four calls a day from real estate professionals and people associated with the film industry seeking advanced security arrangements, according to sources. The enquiries have increased following the October 18 attack on Shroff’s car, in which the actor escaped serious injury while his driver and another person were injured. Police have registered a case and are investigating the firing.The incident has renewed concerns about threats to prominent personalities, particularly after claims of responsibility circulated in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The claims and the alleged links behind the attack remain under investigation.Private security sources said some clients were seeking a more comprehensive assessment of their vulnerability rather than relying solely on conventional guards. Depending on the threat perception, arrangements could include trained close-protection personnel, secure travel planning, access control and coordination with the police.Sources also raised concerns about people dismissing threats because they believe their personal and professional lives are free of controversy. Referring to Shroff, one source said the assumption that a clean public image and the absence of known enmity offered protection could prove misplaced.“Even people with a clean image should realise that someone they do not know could try to target or implicate them,” the source said.Industry sources also cited reports of threat calls involving actor Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Aditya Dhar a few months ago. The circumstances surrounding these reported calls and whether they are connected to any current investigation would need independent confirmation.The growing demand has brought the scale of Maharashtra’s private security sector into focus. Industry estimates put the number of agencies holding licences under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (PSARA), at more than 580 across the Mumbai region and Maharashtra, with nearly 30,000 trained employees.In contrast, around 3,000 agencies operating without PSARA licences are estimated to employ more than 1.5 lakh people across the state. These figures could not be independently verified.PSARA provides the legal framework for licensing private security agencies and prescribes requirements relating to their operations, training and personnel. The scale of unlicensed operations, if confirmed, raises questions about regulatory oversight, staff training and accountability in a sector entrusted with protecting people and property.The demand for private protection also comes against the backdrop of the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. Although arrests were made in the case, investigators have continued to probe the wider circumstances and the alleged criminal network behind the killing.“Since the fear of the police appears to be declining, private security agencies have greater challenges and demand ahead,” a senior private security expert said.Security professionals, however, caution that private guards cannot replace police protection or official threat assessments. People receiving threats should report them promptly, preserve call records and messages, and cooperate with investigators. For clients seeking private protection, the priority is to ensure that arrangements are based on a credible assessment of risk rather than panic following a high-profile attack.
