Tiger Shroff firing: 20-day Mumbai stay, football ground recce, Surat escape plan
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Three suspects arrested in connection with the firing on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai had allegedly arrived in the city nearly 20 days before the attack and conducted a recce of the same football ground in Juhu just one week prior to the shooting, according to police investigation findings. The accused were intercepted on 19 October at Kota railway station in Rajasthan by Kota City Police while aboard the Pune-Jaipur Express.
Who the accused are
The three suspects have been identified as Phulsing Naresh, a Class 12 pass-out from Sonipat, Haryana; Rehan Rashiddin, a Class 9 pass-out also from Sonipat; and Rithik, a Rapido driver who had been residing in Mumbai. One of the three is a minor, police confirmed. Investigators allege that Rithik rode the motorcycle used in the crime, while Rehan and Phulsing allegedly fired the shots.
How the attack was planned
According to investigators, the accused had reportedly visited the same football ground the previous Sunday — when Tiger Shroff was present — specifically to conduct reconnaissance. They allegedly purchased a motorcycle on 11 September as part of their preparation for the attack, suggesting the conspiracy had been in motion for weeks before the incident took place.
The escape route: Motorcycle to Andheri, cab to Surat, train to Kota
After the firing, the three suspects allegedly executed a pre-planned escape using multiple modes of transport to throw police off their trail. They first fled on the motorcycle to Andheri railway station, boarded a local train to Kandivali, then booked a cab to Surat. From Surat, they boarded a train towards Kota, where authorities were waiting. Preliminary questioning revealed the accused had initially planned to travel to Delhi and then escape to Nepal before being intercepted.
How police caught them
Kota Superintendent of Police Tejaswani Gautam said the team acted on intelligence inputs that the suspects were travelling on the Pune-Jaipur Express. Officers surrounded and searched the train, completing the operation in approximately 15 minutes. Police seized a mobile phone from the accused. A Mumbai Police team subsequently reached Kota to take custody.
Lawrence Bishnoi gang link under probe
Investigators are examining an alleged contact between Rehan and one Anil Pandit, who is reportedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, to determine whether that connection played any role in the attack. Phulsing has a prior case registered against him for motor vehicle theft, while Rehan faces a case under the Arms Act. Notably, the weapon allegedly used in the firing has not yet been recovered, and the motive remains under investigation.
The incident
The attack occurred around 7 pm on Sunday in Mumbai's Juhu area, when shots were fired at a vehicle in which Tiger Shroff was travelling after returning from a football ground. The actor escaped a direct hit but sustained an injury from a fragment of shattered glass. The driver and another person in the vehicle were also injured. Further investigation is underway to establish the full motive and identify other possible links in the case.