Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 21: Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff was allegedly targeted by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang after a planned attack on actor Salman Khan was reportedly abandoned due to heightened security, according to sources in the Mumbai Police.
The two shooters involved in Sunday's firing incident near Shroff's car in Juhu had allegedly conducted reconnaissance at Khan's residence in Bandra West. However, the security arrangements outside the actor's home reportedly discouraged them from proceeding with the planned attack, following which they looked for another target.
According to police sources, the gang learnt through social media posts by Shroff's fans that the actor played football every Sunday at Pushpa Narsee Ground in Juhu. As Shroff did not have police security cover, the gang allegedly considered him a relatively easier target.
After informing Amit Pandit, a close aide who had allegedly ordered the attack, that targeting Khan was not feasible, the shooters reportedly shifted their attention to Shroff. The two men allegedly watched the actor before opening fire as his car was leaving the premises.
Police said Shroff escaped without injury. Investigators are examining whether the accused had intended to target the actor specifically and are also looking into the reconnaissance allegedly carried out at Khan's residence.
A police officer said the accused's mobile phones would be examined to determine whether they had taken photographs or communicated information to their handlers.
The two alleged shooters, Phool Singh and Rehan Ansari, both aged 18, and their 22-year-old accomplice Hrithik Kumar, also known as Roshan Ramu Mahto, were arrested in Kota, Rajasthan, on Monday. They were being brought to Mumbai on transit remand for further investigation.
Mumbai Police have strengthened security outside Khan's residence and installed barricades on the adjoining road as a precautionary measure. The actor was also seen at Mumbai airport on Tuesday accompanied by several armed security personnel.
Police said the accused would be produced before the Esplanade Court on Wednesday, with investigators seeking extended police custody to question them about the alleged attack and their links with the gang.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang's alleged involvement came to light after a social media post purportedly issued by Anil Pandit circulated online. The post, which also named Harman Sandhu, another alleged associate of the gang, claimed responsibility for the firing incident involving Shroff.
The post also threatened other members of the Mumbai film industry who did not follow the gang's demands or worked with Salman Khan. Police are investigating the authenticity of the post and the claims made in it.
Khan has been on the radar of the Bishnoi gang for years. The dispute reportedly stems from the actor's alleged killing of a blackbuck during a film shoot in Jodhpur in 1998. The Bishnoi community regards the blackbuck as sacred.
In April 2024, two men on a motorcycle fired four rounds outside Khan's residence in Mumbai. The actor's farmhouse in Panvel, near Navi Mumbai, has also reportedly been monitored by members linked to the gang.
Other prominent personalities have faced threats or attacks allegedly linked to the gang. In February, gunmen opened fire at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's residence in Juhu. Actor Ranveer Singh also received threats, while former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead on a busy street in Bandra East in October 2024.
The latest incident has prompted renewed security concerns in the film industry as Mumbai Police investigate the alleged conspiracy and the extent of the gang's involvement.