Three men who opened fire on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai on Sunday evening were promised help in securing a job abroad and additional money after the attack, according to the initial investigation.
Two of the men fired seven rounds at the actor while a third waited nearby on a motorcycle. The trio then fled on a bike, which they abandoned near Andheri West railway station before boarding a train towards Jaipur.
The accused have been identified as 22-year-old Hritik, also known as Roshan, from Begusarai in Bihar; 18-year-old Rehan from Sonipat in Haryana; and 18-year-old Phool Singh, also from Haryana. They were given a collective advance of Rs 50,000 to carry out the attack and were promised further payment once it was completed. Investigators are examining transfers made in multiple small instalments that appear designed to obscure the money trail.
A handler is believed to have contacted one of the accused and drawn them in with the prospect of financial gain. Police are probing the role of this handler and other associates in recruiting and financing the group.
Anil Pandit, an associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is suspected of being linked to the arrangement through the handler. Shortly after the attack, an audio clip circulated on social media in which a man identifying himself as Anil Pandit claimed responsibility on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, along with Harman Sandhu. In the recording, he stated that Tiger Shroff “was counselled, but did not understand us” and issued death threats against anyone in the film industry who worked with Salman Khan or without aligning with them, describing it as a first and final warning.
The three men were intercepted on Monday morning in Kota, Rajasthan, while travelling by train towards Delhi. Police said they intended to flee to Nepal. Around 20 special Crime Branch teams were deployed. Using fieldwork, CCTV footage and technical analysis, officers traced the abandoned bike near Andheri West railway station, reconstructed the route through northern Mumbai and Surat, and established that the men had boarded the Pune-Jaipur Express. Kota police were informed and detained them.