One of the three suspects arrested for firing at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff once worked with a catering agency in Delhi, then as a cook in Mumbai, before becoming a driver with an app-based bike-taxi, Bihar Police said.
The suspect, 22-year-old Hrithik Kumar alias Roshan, studied till the intermediate level and left his house in Bihar’s Begusarai two years ago in search of work. He first found a job with a food catering agency in Delhi. Only three months ago, he moved to Mumbai, where he worked as a cook at a restaurant and later as a bike-taxi driver and delivery partner, the police said.
Kumar was allegedly riding the two-wheeler when his accomplice fired shots at Shroff in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening, police said. The actor escaped relatively unhurt, while his driver and a bystander were injured. Two alleged operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu, claimed responsibility for the attack. The suspects were nabbed from Kota station in Rajasthan a day later.
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Begusarai superintendent of Police Maneesh said Kumar has two younger brothers and sisters.
The suspect’s family and friends said he is very particular about his appearance and fitness, and had even gained attention on social media with videos of intense workouts and his tattoos.
“Last I knew, he was working with a catering agency in Delhi and also wanted to marry a woman from Rajasthan. He had even visited Surat to purchase wedding-related items along with the woman’s father,” Kumar’s mother Sanyukta, who stays in Dumri locality, said.
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“We know that he last visited Surat railway station with the woman on October 17 and last spoke to him at around 2pm that day. His mobile phone went off after that,” she added.
The parents of the suspect run a tea-cum-cosmetic stall at Pipra Chowk. His mother claimed he was innocent. “My son is innocent. I cannot believe he is a criminal and was part of the firing at the actor,” she said.
Kumar’s maternal uncle Chhotu Mehta also said the family had not been in touch with him for the last few days. “We are currently unable to get clear information about his whereabouts and his situation in Mumbai,” he said.
Earlier, Kumar’s neighbours at Mumbai’s Gilbert Hill, where he rented a room for around six months, said he had acquired a reputation for picking fights. They said even seemingly minor disputes over parking his electric scooter or water spilling near his doorway could trigger angry confrontations.
“Roshan was extremely aggressive and was always ready to pick fights. He would argue with neighbours over issues such as water being spilled near his door or someone parking their bike in the spot where he parked his vehicle,” said Mohammed Azhar, a construction site worker who lives nearby.