MUMBAI: “The boy was skinny, like a mosquito, and looked poor, like someone living on the footpath. He came and started firing, and everyone thought someone was bursting firecrackers for Diwali,” an eyewitness said, recounting the moments of panic when gunmen opened fire at actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening.The firing took place around 7pm as Shroff was leaving a football venue at Pushpa Narsee Park, also known as Jamnabai Nursery, after a birthday outing. Seven rounds were fired, according to reports, leaving the actor’s driver, Firdaus, and a passerby injured.The actor escaped without gunshot injuries, although he sustained minor abrasions from shattered glass. Photographs released on Sunday night showed him with dressings on his shoulder and chest and a bandage on his right arm.Eyewitnesses said the sound of gunfire initially caused confusion, with some mistaking the shots for Diwali firecrackers. The seriousness of the attack became apparent when the car stopped and the driver emerged injured.“We were making our vlogs. A party was going on with a lot of noise as they were celebrating a birthday,” one eyewitness said, describing the scene before the shooting.Another eyewitness, Shah Rukh Sheikh, said three men were involved in the attack, with two firing at the car while the third waited on a motorcycle. The assailants fled within seconds, he said.Sheikh said a fan walking alongside the car was also hit by a bullet in the chest, while the driver sustained a gunshot injury to his hand. Despite being injured, the driver reportedly attempted to chase the assailants.Shaikh said the driver was taken for medical treatment after the shooting. She added that the incident left her shaken because those filming the actor nearby could also have been caught in the firing.Police said the three assailants fled on a motorcycle towards SV Road and Vile Parle railway station. The incident occurred barely 350 metres from Juhu police station.Mumbai Police have formed 15 teams, including personnel from the crime branch, to identify and arrest the shooters. Investigators are examining CCTV footage and collecting forensic evidence to establish the sequence of events and the number of rounds fired.Meanwhile, a social media post and voice note purportedly claiming responsibility for the attack were attributed to individuals identifying themselves as Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu and claiming links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The message alleged that Shroff had ignored warnings and threatened others in the film industry who continued to work with actor Salman Khan.Police are verifying the authenticity of the claims.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and Shroff after the incident, assuring the actor that the accused would be traced. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also visited Shroff’s residence and assured the family of the state government’s support.The firing triggered a political row over law and order in Maharashtra, with opposition leaders questioning the government’s handling of gang-related threats and attacks on public figures.
