Police traced the shooting back to a meticulously plotted eight‑month scheme orchestrated by Anil Pandit, a senior member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The plan, which began in late 2023, culminated in a gunfire attack on Tiger Shroff's car as he left a football match at Pushpa Narsee Ground in Juhu on October 18. The attack involved a coordinated effort across three specialized squads.
Shroff, 36, was exiting the ground when two men fired at his vehicle. The shots struck the sedan but left Shroff unharmed; the assailants fled in a stolen SUV. Witnesses reported a burst of gunfire before the getaway vehicle sped away. The incident prompted an immediate lock‑down of the area by Mumbai Police.
Pandit claimed responsibility on the day of the attack, citing Shroff's proximity to Salman Khan, whom the gang has been targeting over a blackbuck poaching case. He alleged the shootout aimed to extort money, assert dominance and spread fear in the film industry.
Investigations revealed that the gang split into three groups: a reconnaissance team gathered target intel; a second group sourced weapons; the third delivered the firearms to Mumbai. Pandit financed the operation, providing the funds for purchases and logistics. The three squads operated under strict secrecy and coordination.
Encrypted messaging apps Signal and Zangi were the primary channels for the conspirators, allowing them to communicate without a phone number. Police recovered chat logs involving four key suspects—Rehan, Pranjal, Kunal, and one unnamed—linked to Pandit. The decryption effort is underway to trace all participants.
So far, 11 suspects have been arrested under the MCOCA act, and the case is slated for a trial in the Mumbai High Court next month. The police will present the evidence from the encrypted communications in the upcoming proceedings.