Three held at Kota station over firing on Tiger Shroff's car; sent to 48-hour police custody

Three suspects in the shooting at actor Tiger Shroff's car in Mumbai have been picked up at Kota railway station in Rajasthan and sent to 48 hours of police custody. They were stopped on a train they had boarded to get away from the city. Police say the arrests came about 15 hours after the attack. An earlier account of two men being held on the Surat Express has been overtaken by these arrests.

The attack happened around 7 pm on Sunday, October 18, 2026, near Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu. Shroff had gone there to play football and was driving back when three men on a motorcycle opened fire on his car. Fans were gathered nearby, the gunfire caused panic, and a video of the incident spread widely on social media. Police believe a country-made pistol was used on the BMW. Early forensic checks reportedly gave some useful leads, but the weapon will be confirmed only by the official report.

Shroff was not hit by a bullet. One account says he suffered minor injuries from gunpowder and broken glass, while another report says both he and his driver were hurt. The driver, named Firdaus in most accounts, was shot in the left hand and taken to Nanavati Hospital. A second person was also hit. He is described variously as an autorickshaw driver and as a passer-by named Umesh Chavan. One report names the injured driver as Umesh Chauhan. It says he was first admitted to Cooper Hospital and moved to KEM Hospital around midnight on October 19. Doctors there said the bullet has not seriously affected his heart or lungs. He is haemodynamically stable and is being treated in the emergency ICU by the cardiovascular and thoracic surgery team. One account says Shroff himself took the wheel and drove to the hospital after the driver was hurt. Police have recorded the driver's statement. The reports also differ on how many rounds were fired. Police are quoted as saying five, while another report says seven.

Mumbai Police formed 15 teams, and the Crime Branch is now handling the case. Investigators used CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and the suspects' travel details. They say the attackers left their bike at Andheri railway station, and the suspects' faces were caught on CCTV there. Mumbai Police ran AI face recognition on the footage to identify them. The men are said to have boarded a Jaipur-bound train at Vasai at 10.10 pm on Sunday. It reached Kota Junction at 10.30 am on Monday. On Mumbai Police's information, Kota Police, working with the Anti-Gangster Task Force, a deputy superintendent and the cyber cell, searched the train. Kota Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam said all three were detained within about 15 minutes. The suspects are also said to have changed their clothes and cut their hair to alter their appearance.

Rajasthan Police say the three meant to reach Delhi and then cross into Nepal. Investigators will now look into whose help they expected there. Police announced the arrests on Monday, October 19.

The accused are Rehan, also called Rihan alias Sukka, 18, of the Idgah Colony area in Sonipat, Haryana. Another is Ritik Kumar, also given as Ritik Kurmi, alias Roshan, 22, originally from Piprai village in Begusarai, Bihar. He lives in Andheri West and works as a Rapido rider. The third is a 17-year-old minor from Sonipat, who cannot be named. Rehan is described as the main suspect and is said to have had cases registered against him earlier. He is suspected of a key role in planning the attack. The minor is alleged to have pointed a gun at the window of Shroff's car and tried to fire, but the weapon jammed.

A man named Anil Pandit has come up in the investigation. A social media post and an audio clip in his name, along with a person named Harman Sandhu in the post's attribution, claimed the attack for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The post also warned film industry figures against working with Salman Khan. Police have not confirmed that the post is genuine or that the gang was involved. One report says one of the accused was in touch with Pandit, and that they spoke over the Signal app to avoid scrutiny. Another says Pandit paid the trio a contract of Rs 34,000. It also says their expenses, from hotels to food and taxis, were paid online, and that he was on the phone with them when the shot was fired. Contact with Rehan is also alleged. All of this remains an allegation.

Police are checking whether the attackers surveyed Shroff's house, his gym and the ground where he plays football. One report speaks of a recce lasting 20 days and of tracking through paparazzi and bloggers. Another says Shroff goes to the park every Sunday for about two hours. A police officer said the accused may have followed him and waited outside the gate. Police say no final conclusion has been reached. No weapons have been recovered from the three, so investigators must find where the guns were kept, who supplied them, who paid for the operation and whether they were thrown away during the journey.

Juhu police registered a case against three unidentified people under Sections 109(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act. Section 109(1) covers attempt to murder, and Section 3(5) covers a crime committed by several people with a common intention. Police say Shroff had not earlier complained of threatening calls. Security has been stepped up outside his home in the Carter Road area of Bandra and around Salman Khan's house. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured the family of a full investigation and strict action. Rajasthan Police are handing the three to Mumbai Police for deeper questioning on the motive, the weapons, the finances and any other conspirators.