Tiger Shroff shooting case: Police uncover plot revealing Aamir Khan was original target

Mumbai Police investigating the October 18 firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff have uncovered a chilling twist, revealing that Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan was the alleged primary target before the suspects changed their plans.

According to police reports, the alleged shooters spent nearly a month in Mumbai monitoring Aamir Khan's movements and visited the vicinity of his residence at least three times. However, Khan's frequent travel for film shoots and extended periods staying at home made it difficult for the suspects to approach him.

The attackers subsequently shifted their attention to Tiger Shroff, who was frequently spotted playing football at a Juhu park on most Sundays. The gunfire took place at the exact same location on October 18. Police sources have linked the initial plan involving Khan to threats he received in July, which were attributed to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

During the attack, at least two men fired multiple rounds at Tiger Shroff's car before fleeing on a motorcycle, with five to six rounds reportedly discharged. Shroff escaped relatively unharmed, while his driver and a bystander sustained injuries. The motorcycle used in the incident was later recovered in Andheri, and investigators subsequently recovered two firearms and 10 live cartridges in Surat.

As the investigation widens, authorities are probing the role of alleged handlers who reportedly supplied real-time information through encrypted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) messaging applications, such as Signal and Zangi, during the suspects' escape.

Police reports cited by PTI revealed that news coverage of the attack and ongoing investigation helped the suspects adjust their escape routes. When television channels broadcast footage showing the suspected attackers, one of them allegedly received an urgent warning. Police sources stated that the message read, “Tumhare chehre aa gaye hain, nikal jao waha se" (Your faces are out, get out of there).

The three accused individuals — identified as Phool Singh (18), Rehan Rahisuddin Ansari (18), and Rithik Mahto (22) — were ultimately apprehended by Kota Police in Rajasthan on October 19 while traveling by train. Investigators found that the suspects frequently switched transport modes, moving between motorcycles, trains, and cabs while attempting to evade arrest before being intercepted following an alert from Mumbai Police.