Two women from Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur and Azamgarh districts have been arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the firing at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff's car in Mumbai, with investigators suspecting that they transported the firearms used in the attack by train.
The accused, identified as Radha from Sitapur and Babita from Azamgarh, were arrested at New Delhi Railway Station on Tuesday. They are among eight people arrested in the case so far, with the Mumbai Police alleging that the attack was carried out at the behest of Anil Pandit, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
The women were arrested at New Delhi Railway Station on Tuesday.
According to the Delhi Police, two suspects had travelled to Amritsar to procure the weapons, while the two women allegedly transported the firearms by train to Mumbai and handed them over to the attackers.
Radha was apprehended along with Babita and two men, identified as Kunal and Sumit.
The fifth accused, a man who allegedly stayed in Mumbai to provide logistical support to the shooters, was also arrested, according to the police.
Radha's family in Sitapur claimed she is innocent and has been falsely implicated.
Her mother, Maina Devi, said Radha had moved to Haryana about a year ago in search of employment and was working at a factory for a monthly salary of Rs 15,000.
Radha was married to a local man, Sunil, in 2015 and has a son. She left her matrimonial home around 2018, and Sunil has since remarried.
He said he had not been in contact with her for several years. Babita's family in Azamgarh also claimed she is innocent.
Her father, Ram Jatan Ram, said she worked in a packaging unit in Sonipat, Haryana, and alleged that a girl known to the family had taken her to Mumbai on the pretext of sightseeing.
He said he had approached the police and expressed faith in the judicial process.
Babita's sister, Neelam, said Babita had travelled to Mumbai with her friend Radha to visit religious places and fulfil a vow.
The two were detained at a railway station while returning, she said, adding that the family had been told that suspicious items were found in Babita's bag.
Babita also told her elder brother, Dilip Kumar, over the phone that she had accompanied another woman to Mumbai for sightseeing and was arrested upon returning to Delhi, the family claimed.
Azamgarh Senior Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar said the local police and intelligence agencies were coordinating with the Delhi and Mumbai police to gather information about Babita and her alleged role in the case.
Her background, previous workplace and contacts were being examined, he said.
The firing took place in Mumbai's Juhu area on Sunday evening when two assailants allegedly opened fire at Shroff's car.
The actor escaped relatively unhurt, while his driver and a bystander were injured.
The Mumbai Police has arrested three alleged shooters, who were brought from Kota in Rajasthan and remanded in police custody till October 31.
The investigation is being conducted by the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch.
(With Inputs From PTI)