Investigators probing a recent shooting have said the assailants’ intended target was Bollywood actor Salman Khan, but they ended up firing at actor Tiger Shroff, who was reportedly without security at the time. Shroff survived the attack, and the probe has intensified.
Police have arrested three suspects who allegedly opened fire and fled. During questioning, they reportedly told investigators that Salman Khan was their “target”.
The report links the threat to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which is described as being involved in contract killings, extortion and drug trafficking, with operations extending beyond India. While the gang’s leader has been arrested and several members have been killed, authorities say the network continues to operate.
The long-running hostility towards Salman Khan is largely attributed to a 1998 incident in Rajasthan, when he allegedly hunted a blackbuck—an animal considered sacred by the Bishnoi community. A case was filed, and he was sentenced to five years in prison; the matter is currently pending before the Rajasthan High Court.
Lawrence Bishnoi is said to have issued an open threat in 2018 at the Jodhpur court, demanding that Salman Khan seek forgiveness. The report notes that Bishnoi community organisations have not supported threats or coercion, reiterating their non-violent tradition, even as calls from within the film industry continue for an apology to end the dispute.
