'Tiger Shroff was not original target!' Shooters had planned to kill another Bollywood celebrity (Lead)

Mumbai: A new angle has emerged in the firing at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff's car, with preliminary interrogation of the arrested accused reportedly revealing that the actor was not their original target and that they had initially planned to attack another prominent Bollywood personality.

Mumbai Police sources said the accused had travelled to Mumbai with the intention of targeting another celebrity. However, after finding it difficult to reach their intended target, they allegedly shifted their focus to Tiger Shroff.

Investigators have reportedly found that the accused learned about the actor's security arrangements through Instagram reels uploaded by his fans. The videos allegedly indicated that the 36-year-old actor did not usually have police security accompanying him, prompting the attackers to consider him an easier target, sources added.

During preliminary questioning, the accused, according to sources, disclosed that they wanted to kill the actor to spread fear in the Bollywood industry.

According to sources, the attackers also conducted reconnaissance by monitoring Tiger Shroff's movements through his Instagram account and posts and videos shared by his fans.

The firing took place on a busy Sunday evening and was captured on video. The actor, son of veteran Bollywood star Jackie Shroff, escaped relatively unhurt. However, his driver and a bystander sustained injuries in the incident.

According to Mumbai Police, five to six rounds were fired at the actor's car. A motorcycle allegedly used by the shooters was subsequently recovered in an abandoned condition in Andheri.

Following the attack, the accused reportedly fled to Gujarat's Surat, from where they boarded a Jaipur-bound train. Their alleged plan was to travel to New Delhi by bus before escaping to Nepal. However, Mumbai Police arrested the three accused in Rajasthan's Kota in connection with the case.

Two of the arrested accused have been identified as Ritik, alias Roshan, from Begusarai in Bihar, and Rehan from Sonipat in Haryana.

Police have registered a case under charges of attempted murder and relevant provisions of the Arms Act. Investigators are also examining the alleged links between the accused and members of organised criminal networks.

Police said Rehan was in contact with Anil Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which claimed responsibility for the attack in an unverified social media post.

Meanwhile, a purported audio clip allegedly featuring Pandit, a 32-year-old US-based gangster from Panipat, has circulated widely on media platforms. In the recording, he allegedly claims that Tiger Shroff was targeted for ignoring warnings against working with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.

However, the authenticity of the audio clip has not been independently verified. Police are continuing to interrogate the arrested accused to establish the motive, identify the original intended target and ascertain the wider conspiracy behind the attack.

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