Mumbai: The alleged shooters involved in the October 18 firing incident targeting actor Tiger Shroff had reportedly planned to target Bollywood actor Aamir Khan before changing their focus, according to a report by The Indian Express citing police sources.
The report said the alleged shooters stayed in Mumbai for nearly a month and conducted reconnaissance near Khan’s residence on at least three occasions. However, they reportedly found it difficult to approach him because he was frequently away for film shoots or remained inside his home for extended periods.
Investigators suspect the alleged shooters subsequently shifted their attention to Shroff, who was considered easier to approach because he regularly visited a park in Mumbai’s Juhu area to play football on Sundays.
The firing took place at the location on October 18. While Shroff escaped relatively unhurt, his driver and a bystander were injured in the incident.
Aamir Khan Targeting Plan Reportedly Linked To Earlier Threats
According to police sources cited in the report, the alleged plan to target Aamir Khan was consistent with threats he had reportedly received in July from individuals linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
The reported change of target has emerged as the Mumbai Police continue to investigate the shooting and establish the roles of the alleged shooters, handlers and other suspected associates.
The claims regarding the original target and the alleged surveillance have been attributed to police sources and have not been independently established in the information available.
Shooters Allegedly Received Updates Through Encrypted Apps
In another development, police sources told news agency PTI that the three alleged shooters were receiving real-time updates about the investigation through media coverage and encrypted internet-based messaging applications.
According to Mumbai Crime Branch sources, these updates allegedly helped the suspects modify their escape plans as details of the investigation became public.
At one point, after television channels aired visuals of the attack, one of the suspects allegedly received an urgent message warning him that their faces had been shown and instructing him to leave the area.
The three accused have been identified as Phool Singh, 18, Rehan Rahisuddin Ansari, 18, and Rithik Mahto, 22. They were apprehended by Rajasthan’s Kota Police on October 19 while travelling on a train and were subsequently remanded to police custody until October 31.
Investigators reportedly found that Rehan was in regular contact with others through internet-based applications, including Signal or Zangi.
Alleged Shooters Changed Transport During Escape
According to police sources quoted by PTI, the alleged handlers passed on information about the recovery of the motorcycle used in the shooting in Mumbai’s Andheri area and the suspects’ subsequent train journey.
The suspects allegedly changed their mode of transport several times, travelling by motorcycle, train and cab before planning to board a bus from Surat.
A delay at the Surat bus terminal reportedly prompted them to take another train. Kota Police eventually apprehended them after receiving an alert from Mumbai Police.
The shooting occurred in Juhu on the evening of October 18. Police said five to six rounds were fired at Shroff’s car by at least two men, who allegedly fled on a motorcycle. The motorcycle believed to have been used in the attack was later recovered abandoned in Andheri.
Two Firearms Recovered In Surat, Total Arrests Reach 11
The investigation also led to the recovery of two firearms and 10 live cartridges in Surat, officials told PTI. The weapons were sent for forensic examination and ballistic testing to determine whether they matched the empty cartridges recovered from the scene.
Separately, a 22-year-old man, Pranjal Thakran, was apprehended in Indore during a joint operation by the Mumbai Crime Branch and local police.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotia told PTI that Thakran, a native of Sonipat in Haryana, had travelled to Indore five days earlier for his paralysed brother’s treatment.
Police suspect he may have provided logistical, financial or operational assistance to the alleged shooters and other suspected conspirators. His apprehension took the number of people held in connection with the case to 11, with arrests reported across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
Gangster Anil Pandit Named As Wanted Accused
Mumbai Police have named gangster Anil Pandit as a wanted accused in the case. Pandit, described as an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and believed to be operating from the United States, reportedly claimed responsibility for the October 18 firing in a social media post, according to PTI.
Police are continuing to investigate the alleged conspiracy, the roles of those arrested and the suspected network behind the attack. The allegations against the accused remain subject to the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.
