Tiger Shroff firing: Three including 17-year-old arrested; accused nabbed while travelling to Delhi

MUMBAI: Three people, including a 17-year-old boy, have been arrested in connection with the firing incident targeting Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff. The suspects, who were travelling by train from Mumbai to Delhi, were taken into custody in Kota, Rajasthan.

The arrests were made jointly by the Rajasthan Police and the Anti-Gangster Task Force (ATF) after a gang linked to international criminal Lawrence Bishnoi, who is lodged in Gujarat's Sabarmati Jail, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The accused have been identified as Hrithik Kumar (22), a native of Bihar, Rehan (18) from Haryana, and another 17-year-old from Haryana. They were allegedly planning to escape to Nepal.

Kota Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam said the suspects were being questioned and would be handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch. During interrogation, they reportedly revealed that they had received Rs 50,000 in advance for the attack.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited Tiger Shroff following the incident. Pictures of their meeting have also emerged. The actor was seen with bandages on his right hand, right shoulder, chest and left forearm. The injuries are believed to have been caused by broken glass from his car windows. Security has been tightened for several Bollywood celebrities.

The incident took place around 7 pm on Sunday in Juhu when the attackers, who arrived on a motorcycle, opened fire at Tiger Shroff as he was returning after playing football. His driver, Firdous, and an autorickshaw driver were also injured in the incident.

Accused monitored actor's movements for 10 days

According to reports, the attackers had monitored Tiger Shroff's movements for nearly 10 days. They reportedly found that he regularly visited a football ground in Juhu on Sundays and chose that day to carry out the attack. The assailants fired five rounds.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang had earlier issued a warning to Bollywood, threatening to kill those who stood by Salman Khan.

The threat is linked to the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. The blackbuck is considered sacred by the Bishnoi community, and the gang has targeted Salman Khan over the incident. Tiger Shroff has reportedly clarified that he does not share a close relationship with Salman Khan.

Suspect in Kochi synagogue arson attempt also linked to Bishnoi gang

Ebin Paul, who allegedly attempted to set fire to the Kadavumbhagam Jewish synagogue, was also in contact with groups linked to notorious international criminal Lawrence Bishnoi.

Ebin Paul was reportedly a member of several suspicious Telegram groups, including Lawrence Bishnoi Official, Pakistan Group and Karachi Group. He was also found to have maintained regular contact through these groups.

However, no evidence has so far been found linking the Bishnoi gang to the synagogue incident, Kochi Central Assistant Commissioner C.B. Tom said. Police will also examine whether Ebin Paul had been in contact with any other groups.