MUMBAI: “In a second, two boys got down and fired shots at them,” eyewitness Shahrukh Sheikh said, recounting the firing incident involving Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening.Another eyewitness, Rakesh Kumar, an autorickshaw driver who was present in the area, he said that three people were involved in the attack, one on a motorcycle and two others standing near the gate of the football club from where Shroff was leaving.“I drive a rickshaw here in Mumbai… I arrived around 7:00 PM to take my vehicle out… There were three individuals involved: one was on a motorcycle, while two others were standing outside – one near the gate, and another positioned slightly ahead of it. When the shooting began, one person opened fire from the front, targeting the specific seat where Tiger Shroff was sitting… another person, the one near the gate, fired a shot that struck the driver in the hand. It happened around 7:00 PM..” Kumar said.Sheikh, meanwhile, said the driver of the car carrying Shroff was shot, while a fan running alongside the vehicle was also hit by a bullet.“Did anyone get shot? Yes, one of their drivers was shot. And there was a fan that was running next to the car. He was shot in the stomach,” Sheikh said.The incident took place near Pushpa Narsee Park around 7 pm, when unidentified assailants opened fire at a car carrying Shroff. The actor escaped without any gunshot injuries, while his driver and another person sustained injuries.
Tiger Shroff takes wheel after driver is shot
Recounting what happened after the firing, Sheikh said Shroff took control of the vehicle after his driver was injured and drove away to get him medical attention.“The driver was driving the car, but he was shot. So Tiger Shroff took the car from inside and went to the hospital,” he said.A video purportedly showing the moments after the shooting shows Shroff moving into the driver’s seat as people gather around the vehicle. A woman can be heard urging the actor, “Jaldi le kar jaao, Tiger.”The visuals capture the confusion following the shooting, with blood stains visible on the car and the road.
Eknath Shinde visits actor
After news emerged that Shroff had been targeted in the firing, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the actor’s residence on Sunday night to enquire about his well-being and assure him of the state government’s support.Photographs from the residence showed Shroff with dressings on his shoulder and chest and a bandage on his right arm. His mother, Ayesha Shroff, was also present during the meeting.
Driver injured in hand, passerby suffers bullet wound to chest
Shroff and his driver, Firdaus, were taken to Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle. The driver sustained a gunshot injury to his left hand, while the actor escaped without any bullet wounds, though he suffered minor abrasions.The other injured person was identified as Umesh Charan. He sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and was taken to Cooper Hospital. A hospital update described his condition as stable.
Case registered against three unidentified accused
Mumbai Police have registered a case against three unidentified individuals in connection with the firing. The FIR has been filed under Sections 109(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act.According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohit Garg, Shroff narrowly escaped injury after unidentified assailants opened fire as he was leaving the football club in his car around 7 pm on Sunday.Police are investigating the sequence of events and attempting to identify and apprehend those involved. Investigators are examining CCTV footage and forensic evidence collected from the spot.
Lawrence Bishnoi gang members claim responsibility for attack
Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu, who purportedly identified themselves as members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the firing in a voice note and a social media post.The message also threatened people in the film industry who work with actor Salman Khan. However, the authenticity of the claim and its connection to the attack had not been independently established.Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought strict action against those responsible after receiving a briefing from Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti. Fadnavis also spoke to Shroff and assured him of support.(With agency inputs)
