News

In a major twist in the Juhu shooting investigation, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch has officially clarified that action star Tiger Shroff was not the original intended target of the three-man hit squad.

Interrogations of the arrested suspects—nabbed in joint operations across Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan—revealed that the shooters were initially contracted by the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate to strike a far more prominent Bollywood figure. However, after surveillance revealed impenetrable multi-tier security rings around the primary target, overseas handlers instructed the shooters to pivot to an "easy alternative" without police escort, leading them to Shroff.

According to Crime Branch officials, the three shooters had conducted reconnaissance in the city under instructions from overseas handler Amit Pandit. Their primary mandate was to execute a strike on a leading, heavily protected film personality:

The Security Hurdle: Surveillance revealed that the original target was shielded by layered security protocols, including state-provided armed escorts, bulletproof vehicles, and perimeter guards, making an ambush impossible without immediate interception.

Selecting the "Easy Mark": Stranded in Mumbai and pressured by their handlers to send a message of terror across the film industry, the gang searched for an alternative high-profile target lacking a security detail.

Fan Footprint as Recon: Through public fan posts and paparazzi updates on social media, the shooters tracked Tiger Shroff’s consistent habit of playing football every Sunday evening at Pushpa Narsee Ground in Juhu without bodyguards or police escorts.

DCP (Detection) Raj Tilak Roshan confirmed that the attackers waited near the entrance of the sports ground for over an hour, verifying Shroff’s presence inside before initiating the attack:

The Firing: Around 7:00 PM, as Shroff’s BMW SUV emerged onto the road, two shooters stepped forward and discharged five to six rounds toward the cabin, while a third waited on a getaway two-wheeler. One firearm reportedly jammed during the assault, preventing further point-blank fire.

The Toll: Shroff escaped direct bullet hits, sustaining glass cuts and gunpowder burn abrasions. His driver, Firdous Ibrahim Baloch, suffered a gunshot wound to his left wrist and a ring-finger fracture, while a passerby autorickshaw driver sustained chest injuries.

Following the police disclosure, Tiger Shroff’s management issued a formal public advisory warning against malicious rumors and AI deepfakes:

The statement clarified that the actor has not given interviews or issued speculative claims to media outlets since the incident.

“We urge everyone to rely strictly on official statements released by the Mumbai Police. Legal action will be initiated against handles peddling fabricated statements, unverified conspiracy theories, or AI-generated videos misrepresenting the actor.”

The Crime Branch’s clarification shifts the narrative from a targeted, personal feud to a dangerous pattern of opportunistic crime. By settling on Tiger Shroff simply because his predictable, unprotected routine offered a softer target than their primary mark, the Bishnoi syndicate demonstrated that every high-profile public figure operating without armed cover in Mumbai faces collateral vulnerability. In response, Maharashtra authorities have placed several prominent unescorted actors under protective surveillance.