Tiger Shroff Shooting: Suspects Visited Football Ground A Week Earlier, But Actor Didn’t Show Up

The three men accused of opening fire at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff outside a Juhu football ground in Mumbai on Sunday had visited the location a week earlier, on October 11, and spent some time there, CCTV footage and call data records reportedly show.

Police suspect the men may have planned to attack Shroff on that occasion but left after he failed to turn up for his regular football session, an officer told The Indian Express.

“Shroff loves playing football and comes to Pushpa Narsee Ground between 5 pm and 7 pm every Sunday. He hardly misses any Sunday,” a friend who was with the actor on Sunday told the newspaper, requesting anonymity.

According to investigators, CCTV footage shows the suspects arriving at the ground around 4.30 pm on October 18. They allegedly walked towards the entrance several times and looked inside to check whether Shroff was present.

Police suspect that other individuals may also have been monitoring the actor’s movements and informing the alleged shooters about his whereabouts. Shroff eventually emerged from the ground around 7 pm, when the gunmen opened fire.

Investigators believe the attackers intended to kill both Shroff and his driver.

Gunfire Initially Mistaken For Firecrackers

Recounting the incident, Shroff’s friend said people at the football ground initially mistook the gunshots for firecrackers. A team at the venue had burst crackers a few minutes earlier to celebrate a member’s birthday.

“However, people soon started screaming that two men had fired bullets at Tiger and that his driver had been injured. I rushed outside and saw Tiger moving into the driver’s seat of the car. Before I could speak to him, he drove away,” the friend told The Indian Express.

Describing the actor, he added that Shroff was “a very polite, humble person”.

FIR Details Attack On Shroff’s BMW

The first information report (FIR) was registered on the complaint of Shroff’s driver, Firdous Ibrahim Baloch, 48, a resident of Jogeshwari who has worked for the actor’s family for 28 years.

According to the FIR, Baloch was driving Shroff in a BMW when the vehicle turned left after exiting the ground’s gate. Two gunmen allegedly opened fire from the front and left side of the car, while a third accused waited on a motorcycle.

The three men subsequently fled on the motorcycle, the complaint stated.

Baloch provided investigators with descriptions of the alleged attackers and their clothing. According to the FIR, both shooters wore black trousers and white shoes. One was dressed in a white floral shirt, while the other wore a light-blue, full-sleeved shirt.

The third man, who was allegedly waiting on the motorcycle, wore a chocolate-coloured T-shirt with a white stripe and grey trousers.

Shroff Drives Injured Driver To Police Station

Baloch sustained a gunshot wound to his left wrist, with the bullet lodged in his forearm. He also suffered a fracture to his right ring finger. Shroff sustained injuries to his chest and right hand, according to the complaint.

Following the shooting, Shroff moved into the driver’s seat and drove himself and Baloch to Santacruz Police Station. Police subsequently took both men to Nanavati Hospital for treatment.

The actor’s friend said he went to the hospital with two others and found Shroff in the emergency ward.

“About an hour later, his sister and mother, along with some family friends, arrived,” he told The Indian Express.

Investigators are examining CCTV footage and call data records to establish the suspects’ movements before the shooting and determine whether others were involved in tracking the actor.