Tiger Shroff Firing Case: Mumbai Crime Branch investigators are examining reports that handlers sent real-time alerts to the alleged shooters after their faces appeared on television. (Img: Pinterest)
Mumbai: Mumbai Crime Branch investigators are examining whether handlers used television coverage and messaging apps to alert the alleged shooters after their faces surfaced in news reports following the October 18 firing incident in Juhu. Ten people have been arrested so far, while police continue to investigate the suspected network behind the attack.
The investigation into the firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai has taken a new turn, with reports suggesting that the alleged shooters received real-time updates about the police investigation through a handler. The alerts reportedly included warnings after images of the suspects appeared on television, potentially influencing their movements as they attempted to evade arrest.
According to media reports citing police sources, the person communicating with the alleged shooters monitored television coverage and relayed information through a messaging application. Investigators are still trying to establish who sent the alerts, which platform was used and how the communication network operated.
The alleged attackers reportedly remained in contact with their handler through phone calls and messages during and after the October 18 incident. Investigators are examining communications indicating that the suspects were being informed about developments in the police probe, including when their faces were shown in television coverage.
One reported alert warned a shooter that their faces had been exposed and that they should leave the area. The message was allegedly sent after images captured in videos recorded outside a park in Juhu were circulated by news channels.
Police sources cited in media reports said the handler appeared to be tracking coverage and passing on information as it emerged. Investigators are also examining whether the suspects were informed that the motorcycle used in the attack had been traced to Andheri and that police were aware of their train journey.
The identity of the person who allegedly relayed these updates has not been officially established. Reports have pointed to Anil Pandit, who is suspected to be in the United States, and recently arrested accused Ankit Khatak and Sameer Khatri as possible links under investigation. Police have not publicly confirmed who sent the messages or whether television coverage directly helped the suspects evade law enforcement.
Investigators have reportedly accessed some communications between the alleged shooters and their handlers. However, the messaging application involved remains unclear. Reports citing sources familiar with the probe suggest that the platform may have used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a technology that allows voice communication over internet networks.
The alleged shooter Rehan Rahisuddin Ansari was reportedly seen frequently using his phone in CCTV footage. Investigators are attempting to identify the application and trace the communication, including whether it was used to provide operational instructions or updates about the investigation.
Signal and Zangi have been mentioned in media reports as examples of applications associated with encrypted or internet-based communication. However, there is no confirmed public finding that either platform was used in this case.
The firing took place in Mumbai’s Juhu area on the evening of October 18. The alleged shooters opened fire at Tiger Shroff’s car before fleeing on a motorcycle. The actor escaped unhurt, while his driver and a bystander sustained injuries.
According to reports, the suspects subsequently changed their mode of transport, travelling by motorcycle, train and cab as they attempted to leave the area. They reportedly considered taking a bus from Surat but changed plans after facing delays and boarded another train.
Acting on a request from Mumbai Police, Kota Police arrested three alleged shooters from a train in Rajasthan’s Kota the following day. The arrested suspects were identified in reports as Phool Singh, Rehan Rahisuddin Ansari, both aged 18, and 22-year-old Rithik Mahto. The trio were reported to have been remanded to police custody until October 31. The motorcycle used in the attack was later found abandoned in Andheri, adding another lead to the investigation into the suspects’ movements and alleged escape route.
The Mumbai Crime Branch has recovered two pistols from Surat that investigators suspect were used in the firing. The weapons were allegedly concealed there while the suspects were fleeing. The firearms are to undergo forensic examination to establish whether they were used in the attack and to identify any additional evidentiary links.
Police are also investigating how the weapons and ammunition were procured and delivered to the alleged shooters. Reports indicate that Kunal and Sumit, both from Haryana, allegedly collected a pistol and 20 rounds from Amritsar on instructions attributed to Pandit.
Radha and Babita, both from Uttar Pradesh, are suspected of travelling to Mumbai and handing the weapon and ammunition to other alleged conspirators. These allegations remain part of the ongoing investigation, and the roles of the individuals concerned will have to be established through evidence and legal proceedings.
Anil Pandit is a key focus of the probe after a social media post attributed to him reportedly claimed responsibility for the firing. The claim has not been independently verified, and police suspect that the attack may have been carried out at his behest. Pandit has been described in reports as an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and is believed by investigators to be in the United States.
Police are also examining the alleged roles of Ankit Khatak and Sameer Khatri, who were recently arrested in Haryana’s Sonipat. They are suspected of acting as links between the alleged shooters and Pandit. Investigators are looking into whether they helped coordinate the operation or relay instructions, but the precise nature of their alleged involvement remains to be established.
Ten people have been arrested in connection with the case so far, according to reports. Police are continuing to examine the suspected chain of command, the movement of weapons and ammunition, digital communications and the possible involvement of other individuals.
The investigation has also examined whether one of the accused, Ritik Kurmi, alias Roshan, allegedly operated as a sleeper cell for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in Mumbai for more than a year. This remains a police suspicion reported by the media, not an established judicial finding.
According to reports citing sources, Kurmi allegedly used work as a delivery agent and bike-taxi rider to move around the city without attracting attention. Investigators suspect that he surveyed upscale neighbourhoods associated with Bollywood celebrities and shared videos of those locations with gang members.
He reportedly posed as a Rapido rider while travelling around Mumbai and is said to have spent several months in Juhu and Goregaon before moving into rented accommodation in Andheri East. Investigators are examining whether these movements were connected to surveillance or planning linked to the firing.
The probe is now focused on reconstructing the sequence of events before and after the attack, tracing the suspected communication network and determining how the alleged shooters obtained weapons and received updates while on the run. The reported television alerts have added a digital-evidence dimension to the case, but police are yet to publicly confirm who sent them or establish whether they materially affected the investigation.
