CHANDIGARH: Out of three shooters allegedly involved in the assassination attempt on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff two are from Haryana including a minor and other one was out on bail in an Arms Act case.
Interestingly the shooting outside a money-exchange office in Panipat of Haryana in March this year another at a singer’s gym in Delhi in June and now the attack on Shroff in Mumbai have a common thread.
These were carried out in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. One name that has repeatedly cropped up in connection with these incidents over the past seven months is of gangster Anil Pandit, an alleged member of this transnational gang.
Sources said that 18-year-old Rehan from Sonipat in Haryana has estranged relationship with his father a decade, After failing Class IX, he dropped out of school. He had previously been jailed in a case related to the illegal possession of firearms. His mother, Samsida, works in a private company.
According to his maternal aunt, Afsana told the media that Rehan took up welding after being released from jail and would leave home saying he was going to work.
During Bakrid celebrations he was at house and then left afterwards and reportedly told his family he was going out for welding work. Rehan lived with his mother and aunt at his maternal uncle's house. Despite repeated objections and efforts by family members to steer him away from criminal activities, he allegedly continued his involvement in crime.
Rehan's father Raisuddin a daily wager said that his son, a Class 9 dropout, was earlier arrested in a case registered under the Arms Act and was out on bail. He has not been living with me for nearly 10 years. He has been living with his mother in Devdu village.
While the other alleged accused is a 17-year-old minor also from Sonipat in Haryana. Meanwhile the third one has been identified as 22-year-old Hritik Kumar alias Roshan from Begusarai, Bihar, who currently lives in Andheri West, Mumbai, and works as a Rapido rider.
Kota police said that according to preliminary questioning, Rehan was in touch with Anil Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
In an audio recording that emerged after the Tiger Shroff shooting, a man claiming to be Anil Pandit warned Bollywood celebrities against working with actor Salman Khan. "Sabka number aayega" he reportedly said in that audio clip, meaning "Everyone's turn will come," in a warning directed at Bollywood celebrities.
Following the attack on Tiger Shroff, an online message from an account bearing the name "Anil Pandit Anmol Bishnoi" had surfaced, claiming responsibility for the shooting. The account was subsequently deleted, while an audio recording attributed to Pandit also emerged.
Sources in central intelligences agencies said that Anil Pandit is an alleged overseas operative of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who is believed to be based in the United States. His name has appeared alongside other alleged gang members, including Randeep Malik, Harry Boxer and Harman Sandhu, in responsibility claims and police investigations involving shootings in India.
A businessman was shot dead by gunmen in the Bawana industrial area in Delhi in February then in social media post made by an account with the username "Randeep Malik Anil Pandit", claimed that the killing was executed on behalf of Lawrence Bishnoi, Jitender Gogi Maan, Hashim Baba and Kala Rana gangs.
Also in March a social media post attributed to Pandit and another gang member claimed responsibility for firing in Panipat as three motorcycle-borne assailants fired seven rounds at Haast Forex, a money-exchange office on Assandh Road in Panipat and earlier in 2024 also threatened rapper Badshah.
In June, another purported post attributed to Pandit claimed responsibility for shooting outside Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa a gym in Delhi. Investigators subsequently linked four suspects arrested in the gym-firing case to Pandit, who is allegedly associated with the Lawrance Bhisnoi gang.
Meanwhile the alleged suspects, including a minor, were detained from the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express in Rajasthan's Kota city on Monday. They planned was to flee to Nepal, Kota police officials said.
Three assailants opened fire at Shroff's car in Mumbai's Juhu area on Sunday evening. The actor escaped unhurt, while his driver and another person were injured. Police said three rounds were fired at the "War" actor.