Tiger Shroff Firing Probe: Digital Trail Raises Questions Over How Shooters Evaded Police

MUMBAI: Investigators probing the October 18 shooting incident involving actor Tiger Shroff are examining a possible communication network that may have kept the alleged attackers informed about developments in the police investigation.

The suspected flow of information through mobile messaging, reportedly drawing on television coverage, has emerged as a significant line of inquiry.

According to sources, police investigators believe the men may have received warnings when details of the case began appearing on news channels.

One reported alert followed the broadcast of images in which the suspects’ faces were visible. The message allegedly urged them to leave the area immediately.

The shooting occurred outside a park in Mumbai’s Juhu neighbourhood, where a vehicle carrying Tiger Shroff came under fire. The actor was not injured, but two people, including his driver, were reportedly hurt.

The suspected gunmen were apprehended in Kota, Rajasthan, a day after the incident.

They have been identified as Phool Singh and Rehan Rahisuddin Ansari, both aged 18, and 22-year-old Rithik Mahto.

The three remain in police custody until October 31. Ten people have reportedly been arrested in connection with the case so far.

Police investigate a possible information chain

A key part of the investigation is to determine who may have been monitoring news coverage and passing information to the suspects.

The newspaper report cited investigators as saying that messages were allegedly sent through an unidentified application, with the sender updating the men as new details emerged publicly.

Police are reportedly examining the possible involvement of Anil Pandit, who is said to be in the United States, along with Ankit Khatak and Sameer Khatri.

Khatak and Khatri were recently arrested in Sonipat, Haryana, on suspicion of acting as intermediaries between Pandit and the alleged shooters.

Pandit, who has claimed an association with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has also reportedly taken responsibility for the attack in a social media post.

That claim has not been independently verified, and the precise roles of the individuals under investigation have yet to be conclusively established.

Investigators have not publicly identified the messaging service allegedly used to communicate with the suspects.

The report said police were looking into the possibility that the service operated through internet-based communication technology.

Signal and Zangi were mentioned as possible platforms, but neither has been officially confirmed as the application involved.

Phone activity and digital evidence under scrutiny

Investigators are also examining the alleged pattern of phone use by the suspects. CCTV footage reportedly showed Rehan frequently using his mobile phone.

Police sources cited by the newspaper said some communications between the suspected shooters and people believed to be guiding them had been accessed.

The material reportedly includes photographs and videos.

Investigators are attempting to determine whether these exchanges reveal how the suspects received information about the progress of the search and whether anyone deliberately helped them avoid detection.

Changes in travel plans draw investigators’ attention

The suspects’ movements after the shooting are another focus of the inquiry. According to the report, they allegedly travelled using different forms of transport rather than following a single route.

Their journey reportedly involved a motorcycle, a train and a taxi.

Investigators suspect that warnings about police activity may have influenced these decisions.

The men were allegedly informed that their motorcycle had been traced to Andheri and that authorities knew they had travelled by train.

They reportedly considered boarding a bus in Surat but abandoned the plan after a delay and opted for another train instead.

Mumbai Police subsequently sought assistance from their counterparts in Kota, where the three men were arrested aboard a train they had boarded in Surat.

The investigation is now focused on reconstructing the communication trail, identifying the source of the alleged alerts and establishing whether the messages materially assisted the suspects in evading arrest.

Police have not officially confirmed that television reports enabled the men to stay ahead of the investigation.