Tiger Shroff firing: 15 teams to track down assailants, Fadnavis assures strict action
Police piecing together chain of events, ascertaining if the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, as claimed on a social media post, is responsible for attack
The Maharashtra government has warned of strict action against those responsible for the firing at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai and assured full support to the ongoing investigation.
Police have formed 15 teams to nab the assailants, an official said.
Police piecing together chain of events
The 36-year-old actor escaped unhurt after gunmen opened fire at his car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday (October 18) evening. A viral video showed an unidentified person opening fire on the actor's car.
Tiger’s driver and the driver of an auto-rickshaw near the vehicle were injured in the firing, police said.
Also read: Actor Tiger Shroff escapes firing attempt in Mumbai's Juhu; driver injured
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a viral social media post, but police are yet to verify its authenticity.
The incident occurred near Pushpa Park within the Juhu police station limits in the western suburb, and police are piecing together the chain of events, an official said on Sunday.
CM dials up Tiger, assures support
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to the actor over the phone on Sunday and assured him of support, saying the accused would be traced soon, according to the Chief Minister's Office.
"We are all with you. We will track down the accused soon. Do not worry," Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, told the actor.
Fadnavis sought details of the incident from Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and asked him to nab the assailants quickly, expedite the investigation and take strict action against those responsible.
Photos of bandaged actor appear
Late on Sunday night, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the actor and his family and inquired about his well-being.
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Photos of Tiger wearing bandages on his right arm and chest surfaced after the meeting.
While condemning the firing, Shinde said “bullets would be answered with bullets” and warned that the government would not tolerate gang wars in Mumbai.
During the meeting, Shinde assured the 36-year-old actor’s family of full security after the firing.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Shinde said it was time to uproot criminal networks once again, referring to the crackdown on gangs in the 1990s.
"Their roots were dug up in the 1990s when gang wars had flourished. The time has come to uproot them in the same way again," he said.
Bullets will be answered with bullets: Shinde
Asked about his reaction to the firing incident, Shinde said, "It will be tit for tat, bullets for bullets."
On reports of threats to celebrities from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and other criminal gangs, he asserted that the government would not tolerate attempts to intimidate celebrities or establish the dominance of criminal gangs in Mumbai or Maharashtra.
Shinde said the police would investigate the firing incident thoroughly, identify those responsible and destroy the criminal networks behind such attacks.
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"The safety of citizens is our priority. Why are celebrities being threatened deliberately? The police will go to the root of the matter and destroy these gangs. We will not tolerate gang wars in Mumbai. We will respond in kind," he asserted.
Shinde said Tiger and his family, particularly his mother Ayesha Shroff, were under considerable mental stress following the incident, as there had been no dispute or altercation involving the actor.
The Mumbai Police have taken serious note of the incident and formed a special team to trace the accused, he informed.
The assailants would be arrested soon, and strict action would be taken against them, the deputy chief minister assured.
15 teams working to track down culprits
"A total of 15 teams, including dedicated personnel from the Mumbai Crime Branch and local police, have been constituted to investigate the case from all angles and track down the culprits," a police official said.
A forensic team visited the scene of the incident to collect ballistic evidence, inspect the vehicle, and ascertain the exact number of rounds fired.
Police were analysing CCTV footage from surrounding locations to determine the identity and total number of assailants involved in the incident.
"Shroff is safe and has not sustained any injuries in the firing incident. His driver, identified as Firdaus, and another driver of the autorickshaw, identified only as Chauhan, were injured in the shooting and were rushed for medical treatment," an official said.
Who is Tiger Shroff?
The Opposition alleged that chief minister Fadnavis has failed to maintain law and order.
Born Jai Hemant Shroff on March 2, 1990, Tiger Shroff is one of Bollywood's premier action stars and martial artists, holding a 5th-degree black belt in Taekwondo.
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He debuted with the film Heropanti in 2014 and cemented his status as an action hero with blockbusters like Baaghi, Baaghi 2, and the YRF spy universe hit War.
Outside of mainstream cinema, he is a prominent figure in the sports ecosystem. He co-founded Matrix Fight Night (MFN) in 2019, which has grown into India's largest mixed martial arts promotion brand.
(With inputs from agencies)