In a chilling revelation following Sunday’s firing incident in Mumbai’s Juhu area, sources in the Mumbai Police revealed that Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was the original target for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang operatives.
However, faced with impenetrable security around Khan’s Bandra residence, the shooters swiftly pivoted to actor Tiger Shroff, treating him as an “easy second choice.”
How the Target Shifted: From Bandra to Juhu
According to preliminary disclosures from senior police officials investigating the hit:
- Reconnaissance at Galaxy Apartments: The two hired shooters had conducted prior surveillance (recce) at Salman Khan’s Bandstand home in Bandra West. Due to heightened armed security, 24/7 barricading, and heavy police presence, the assailants reported back to their overseas handler, Amit Pandit (a close aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi), that targeting Khan was virtually impossible.
- Social Media Intelligence: The syndicate then turned to social media fan posts to identify alternative targets within the film industry. They discovered that Tiger Shroff—who lacks official state police security cover—regularly played football every Sunday evening at the Pushpa Narsee Ground in Juhu.
- The Ambush: On Sunday evening, the shooters waited outside the sports facility armed with pistols. As Shroff’s car pulled out of the gate, the gunmen opened fire, discharging multiple rounds before escaping on a getaway motorcycle. Shroff narrowly escaped bullet impacts, though his driver and an autorickshaw driver sustained injuries.
Breakthrough Arrests and Transit Remand
A coordinated multi-state manhunt led to rapid arrests across Rajasthan and Maharashtra:
- Arrests in Kota: The primary shooters and their accomplice—identified as Phool Singh (18), Rehan Ansari (18), and Hrithik Kumar alias Roshan Ramu Mahto (22)—were intercepted at Kota railway station in Rajasthan while fleeing toward Delhi.
- Arms Suppliers Nabbed: Mumbai Police have subsequently arrested four additional suspects for supplying weapons and providing logistical support to the hitmen.
- Court Custody: The suspects are being brought to Mumbai on transit remand and will be produced before the Esplanade Court where police will seek maximum custody for detailed interrogation.
Heightened Security Across Bollywood
Following social media claims posted by gang operatives warning that “anyone who works with Salman Khan will be next,” the Mumbai Police have fortified security protocols:
- Salman Khan’s Security Upgraded: Heavy barricading has been re-established outside Khan’s Bandra residence, accompanied by armed escort personnel accompanying the actor during all public and airport appearances.
- Widening Gang Network: The Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate has previously targeted several high-profile figures, including firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence, issuing threats to Ranveer Singh, and the October 2024 assassination of NCP leader Baba Siddique.
