Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff escaped unhurt on Sunday evening after three unidentified men on a motorcycle opened fire near him in Mumbai's Juhu locality, an incident that sent shockwaves through the film industry and triggered a major police response.
The shooting took place at Pushpa Park, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Juhu police station in the city's western suburbs. According to preliminary information, three men arrived at the spot on a single motorcycle and fired at the actor before fleeing. While Shroff did not sustain any injuries, his driver was hurt in the incident, according to police and media reports.
The motive behind the attack remained unclear, and no arrests had been made when this report was filed.
Mumbai Police moved quickly to reassure the public after the first reports of the shooting created confusion about the actor's condition. Quoted by news agency ANI, the police said that a firing incident had been reported under the Juhu Police Station and confirmed that the actor was safe. "Actor Tiger Shroff is safe and has not sustained any gunshot injuries. Further investigation is underway," the police statement said.
A Deputy Commissioner of Police echoed the confirmation later in the evening, telling the media that the actor had escaped the incident without any injury and that the circumstances surrounding the firing were still being established.
A purported video of the shooting began circulating widely on social media soon after it happened. The footage, which could not be independently verified at the time of filing, appeared to show an unidentified person opening fire in the direction of the actor's car near Pushpa Park. Some reports said that three rounds were fired.
The actor was said to have been returning from a football game when the assailants struck, though the exact sequence of events was still being pieced together by investigators. Early reports were unclear about how many people had gathered at the spot and how long the shooters remained there before escaping.
In the immediate aftermath, conflicting accounts emerged about whether anyone else had been hurt. Some early versions suggested that Shroff himself might have been injured, but the police firmly ruled that out. What has been established is that the actor's driver sustained injuries in the firing.
The Hindustan Times reported that two people were injured in all, including the driver, while other accounts said an autorickshaw driver was also among those hurt. The injured were rushed to hospital, according to reports. Their exact condition had not been officially disclosed when this report was filed, and further details were awaited from the authorities.
The Mumbai Police has launched a manhunt to track down the shooters. Officials of the Crime Branch have also joined the investigation, underscoring the seriousness with which the case is being treated. The area around Pushpa Park was cordoned off as investigators began examining the scene and gathering evidence.
Police sources said every possible lead was being followed to identify the motorcycle and the men riding it. Officials have remained tight-lipped about the calibre of the weapon used and the number of cartridges recovered, and further details are expected to emerge as the probe progresses.
Hours after the shooting, a sensational claim surfaced online. A social media post purportedly shared by overseas-based gangsters Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, according to media reports. Times Now also reported that the gang had taken responsibility for the firing.
The authenticity of the post could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report, and the police had not publicly commented on its contents. Investigators are expected to examine the claim as part of the probe, though officials have been careful not to link the incident to any group before the evidence is assessed.
The claim, if substantiated, would add the Juhu incident to a growing list of cases in which the Lawrence Bishnoi crime network has been linked to threats and attacks against film personalities. Bishnoi is a jailed gangster whose syndicate is believed to operate a wide network across northern India, and his name has repeatedly figured in investigations into extortion threats aimed at Bollywood celebrities.
In April 2024, two men opened fire outside the Bandra residence of actor Salman Khan, and the arrested shooters were subsequently linked to the Bishnoi network. The gang also claimed responsibility for the killing of politician Baba Siddique in Bandra later that year. In another recent incident, a firing outside the Juhu home of filmmaker Rohit Shetty drew a similar responsibility claim from a social media page said to be associated with the gang.
Security around several prominent actors has been reviewed and tightened repeatedly as these threats have surfaced over the past two years.
Juhu, a seafront neighbourhood in Mumbai's western suburbs, is home to a large number of film personalities, and incidents there tend to attract intense public attention. Pushpa Park, where Sunday's shooting took place, lies in a busy stretch of the locality that falls under the Juhu police station.
The shooting has reignited debate about the security of celebrities in the country's film capital, where stars remain highly visible targets for both public adulation and criminal intimidation. Several prominent actors already move with personal security details, and the police are likely to review the threat perception of other film personalities in the coming days.
The news sent a wave of anxiety through the film fraternity, with many expressing concern about the actor's safety. Shroff, one of the best-known action stars of his generation, is celebrated for his martial-arts skills, stunts and dance sequences in films such as Heropanti, the Baaghi series and War. The son of veteran actor Jackie Shroff, he commands a large following among young audiences, and the attack on him has been widely condemned.
Fans flooded social media with messages of relief after the police confirmed that he was unhurt.
As night fell on Sunday, the investigation continued and officials remained guarded beyond confirming that the actor was safe. Police sources said further details would be shared once the assailants were identified and the motive became clearer. The incident is expected to dominate Monday's headlines as authorities piece together the motive, the weapon used and the route taken by the shooters. This is a developing story, and more details are awaited.
(Reporting based on NDTV, Hindustan Times, Times Now, Mathrubhumi and ABP Live.)