MUMBAI: News coverage of the investigation into the firing at actor Tiger Shroff allegedly became a real-time alert system for the three shooters as they fled Mumbai, with their handlers relaying updates through encrypted messaging applications and instructing them to change routes when their identities were exposed, police sources said on Saturday.The three accused were apprehended aboard a train in Kota on October 19, a day after the shooting in Mumbai’s Juhu area.Investigators believe that continuous updates about the police probe and the suspects’ movements prompted the trio to switch between modes of transport in an attempt to evade arrest.
How handlers used news reports to guide the suspects
According to sources in the crime branch investigating the case, the handlers were monitoring television coverage and passing information directly to the shooters through encrypted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) messaging applications.At one point during the escape, when news channels aired visuals of the attack, one of the main suspects allegedly received an urgent instruction on his mobile phone: “Tumhare chehre aa gaye hain, nikal jao waha se” (Your faces are out, get out of there).The actor escaped relatively unhurt on the evening of October 18 after two shooters fired multiple rounds at his car in Mumbai’s Juhu area.The incident triggered a multi-state investigation, leading to the arrest of 10 people from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Shroff’s driver and a vlogger sustained injuries in the firing.
Signal, Zangi under scanner
The three key accused have been identified as Phool Singh (18), Rehan Rahisuddin Ansari (18) and Rithik Mahto (22). They were intercepted and arrested by Kota Police in Rajasthan on October 19 and are currently in police custody until October 31.Analysis of digital evidence indicated that Rehan was in constant contact with others through VoIP-based applications, crime branch sources said.Applications such as Signal and Zangi can be used for internet-based communication without requiring a mobile number for registration, they added.Police sources said reports about the recovery of the attackers’ motorcycle in Andheri and their subsequent train journey were also relayed to the shooters by their handlers.
Shooters allegedly switched transport modes
According to crime branch sources, the steady stream of updates prompted the trio to repeatedly change their mode of transport as they tried to escape.“This constant feed prompted the trio to frequently shift modes of transport, moving from a motorcycle to a train, followed by a cab, before planning to board a bus from Surat.“The delay at the Surat bus terminal eventually led them to board another train, where they were apprehended by the Kota police following a prompt alert from the Mumbai Police,” they said.The Crime Branch is questioning the accused in custody to establish how the firearms were procured and identify those involved in supplying weapons and providing logistical support.Mumbai Police have named gangster Anil Pandit as a wanted accused in the case. Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang believed to be operating from the US, had claimed responsibility for the October 18 attack on Shroff in a social media post.The investigation is continuing, with police seeking to establish the roles of all those allegedly involved in planning and executing the firing, as well as those who provided weapons and logistical assistance.(With agency inputs)
