Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff missed his usual Sunday football game on October 11, forcing the three shooters to abandon their plan to target him that day, police suspect. A week later, they returned to the same ground and fired at his BMW as he was exiting the premises on October 18.
According to investigators, the three accused -- Rehan, Phool Singh, Hrithik Kumar -- visited the Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu on October 11, when they may have initially planned to target the actor. With the actor failing to show up that day, they dropped their plan.
A week later, on October 18, they were back at the same location. Police suspect the accused had been waiting for their target, with CCTV footage showing them repeatedly circling the entrance to the football ground and looking inside since around 4.30 pm.
Tiger, who regularly plays football there on Sundays between 5 pm and 7 pm, was returning from the ground in his BMW at around 7 pm when two of the three shooters opened fire from the front and left side of the car.
The third accused was waiting on a motorcycle and helped the two escape after the firing.
According to the FIR, the actor’s driver, Firdous Ibrahim Baloch, 48, was behind the wheel. Baloch, who has worked with Tiger’s family for 28 years, was hit by a bullet in his left wrist, which lodged in his forearm.
His right-hand ring finger was also fractured. The complaint also mentions injuries to Tiger’s chest and right hand.
In a dramatic turn, the injured driver got out of the car, following which Tiger took the wheel and drove the same BMW to Santacruz police station.
Police later took both of them to Nanavati Hospital in Santacruz West for treatment.
The shooting initially caused confusion among people at the football ground.
A birthday celebration for another member of the football team was underway, and firecrackers had been burst minutes before the attack.
Some people mistook the sound of gunshots for firecrackers. Panic spread after news emerged that the actor had been shot at and his driver injured, drawing a crowd outside the ground.
Investigators are now examining whether the October 11 visit was part of an earlier attempt and how it connects to the firing a week later.
Police suspect that others may also have conducted reconnaissance of Tiger’s movements and alerted the attackers when he arrived.
CCTV footage and call detail records are being analysed to establish the accused’s movements, the planning behind the attack and the possible involvement of others in the alleged conspiracy.
Police suspect the attackers intended to kill Tiger and his driver.
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