Bollywood actor Salman Khan was reportedly the original target of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang before its alleged shooters turned their attention to actor Tiger Shroff, whom they considered an easier target because he did not have police security cover, Mumbai Police sources told Hindustan Times.
According to the sources, the two shooters involved in Sunday's firing incident near Shroff's car in Juhu had first conducted reconnaissance at Khan's residence in Bandstand, Bandra West. However, the stringent security arrangements around the actor's home apparently discouraged them from carrying out the planned attack.
The gang subsequently changed its plans and looked for a less protected target. Investigators suspect that information shared on social media by Shroff's fans helped the accused identify his routine, including his Sunday football sessions at Pushpa Narsee Ground in Juhu.
Police sources said the gang learnt that Shroff played football there every Sunday and generally did not have a security detail accompanying him. After the shooters informed Amit Pandit, a close aide of Bishnoi who had allegedly ordered the hit, that targeting Khan was not feasible, they turned their attention to Shroff.
The two men, armed with pistols, allegedly watched the actor for some time before opening fire as his car was pulling out of the ground's gate. Police said Shroff narrowly escaped injury.
Investigators believe the operation involved two shooters and a third accomplice waiting with a getaway motorcycle. However, police have yet to establish the precise purpose of the reconnaissance conducted at Khan's residence.
“We have learnt that the accused had carried out reconnaissance at Salman Khan’s home but the purpose is not yet clear. We will check their phones as they take photos to send their handlers,” a police officer told Hindustan Times.
Three accused arrested in Rajasthan, Mumbai Police steps up security
The three accused, identified as 18-year-olds Phool Singh and Rehan Ansari, and 22-year-old Hrithik Kumar, also known as Roshan Ramu Mahto, were arrested in Kota, Rajasthan, on Monday. They were being brought to Mumbai on transit remand for further investigation.
“Our teams are bringing them to Mumbai by road and will reach late night on Tuesday,” the police officer said.
The Mumbai Police has increased security outside Khan's residence and installed barricades along the road as a precautionary measure. Khan was also seen at Mumbai airport on Tuesday surrounded by several armed guards, and his appearance there was brief, according to the officer.
Police said further details about the alleged conspiracy, the shooters' instructions and the gang's links to the incident were expected to emerge during interrogation. The accused were to be produced before the Esplanade Court on Wednesday, with investigators planning to seek the maximum possible period of police custody.
Social media post claims responsibility, threatens film industry
The alleged Bishnoi gang connection came to light after a social media post circulated claiming responsibility for Sunday's firing. The post was purportedly issued by Anil Pandit, who claimed responsibility alongside Harman Sandhu, another aide of Bishnoi.
The message referred to the incident involving Shroff and threatened further action against members of the Mumbai film industry who did not heed the gang's warnings or worked with Khan.
“Regarding what happened with Tiger Shroff today, Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu take responsibility for it. We had explained to him over a call, but he didn’t understand, so today he was taught a proper lesson. And anyone in the Mumbai film industry who doesn’t listen to us or works with Salman Khan, their turn will be next. Wait and watch,” the post read.
The authenticity of the post and the extent of the accused's involvement in the alleged conspiracy are matters for investigators to establish.
Blackbuck case behind long-running feud with Salman Khan
Khan has faced threats attributed to the Bishnoi gang for years. The hostility stems from the actor's alleged killing of a blackbuck in Jodhpur in 1998, when he was shooting a film. The Bishnoi community considers the blackbuck sacred, making the incident a longstanding source of resentment.
In April 2024, two men riding a motorcycle fired four bullets outside Khan's residence in Mumbai. The actor's farmhouse in Panvel, near Navi Mumbai, has also reportedly been surveilled by members of the Bishnoi gang on multiple occasions.
The latest incident has prompted renewed security concerns around Khan, particularly given the reported reconnaissance at his Bandstand home before the shooters allegedly shifted their attention to Shroff.
Rohit Shetty, Ranveer Singh and Baba Siddique also targeted
The alleged threats against Shroff and Khan come amid a series of incidents involving prominent figures from the Mumbai film industry and politics.
In February, gunmen opened fire at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's residence in Juhu. Actor Ranveer Singh has also received threats attributed to the gang.
In October 2024, former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique was shot dead on a busy street in Bandra East. The killing heightened concerns about the reach of criminal networks and the security of high-profile personalities in Mumbai.
Investigators are now expected to examine the arrested suspects' phones and communications to establish how the alleged plot was planned, what role their handlers played and whether the reconnaissance at Khan's residence was directly connected to the firing incident involving Shroff.