The October 18 shooting of actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai has reignited questions about the city’s underworld, with police investigating links to groups like Lawrence Bishnoi.
Key Points
- Incident Details: Tiger Shroff was shot at his car in Juhu on October 18, with three men from Rajasthan arrested.
- Underworld Evolution: Mumbai’s underworld has shifted from local gangsters to recruits from across India, as seen in past cases.
- Lawrence Bishnoi Links: Recent attacks, including the 2024 Salman Khan incident, are linked to Lawrence Bishnoi’s network.
- Arrests And Backgrounds: The arrested men include two from Haryana and one from Bihar, with varying reports on their recruitment.
MUMBAI: The October 18 shooting of actor Tiger Shroff in Juhu has sparked renewed interest in Mumbai’s underworld dynamics. Police arrested three men from Kota, Rajasthan, with media reports identifying two as Haryana natives and the third as a Bihar native residing in Mumbai. Details about their recruitment, the orchestrator of the attack, and potential gang links remain under investigation.
The incident echoes past cases where Mumbai’s underworld has drawn shooters from across India, as seen in the 1992 JJ Hospital attack. That case involved Subhash Singh Thakur from Varanasi, indicating a trend of recruiting outsiders for specific operations.
Historical Context Of Mumbai’s Underworld
Mumbai’s underworld historically revolved around smuggling, liquor rackets, and extortion. By the 1980s, rivalries were often settled through violence, with shooters emerging from local criminal networks.
Notable figures like Maya Dolas and Dilip Buwa were linked to gangs such as Ashok Joshi’s and Dawood Ibrahim’s. The 1983 killing of Pathan gang member Amirzada Nawab Khan by David Pardesi, arranged by Dawood through Bada Rajan, exemplifies the era’s modus operandi.
The 1994 killing of BJP MLA Ramdas Nayak by Firoz Konkani, linked to the Dawood network, and the 1992 JJ Hospital massacre involving Subhash Singh Thakur highlight how underworld operations expanded beyond local boundaries.
Modern Underworld Tactics And The Lawrence Bishnoi Network
Recent attacks, including the 2024 firing at Salman Khan’s residence and the October 2024 murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, are linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi network. These cases involve shooters from multiple states, indicating a shift in recruitment strategies.
The February 2026 shooting at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence, which led to arrests in Pune, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, showcases a network where individuals perform distinct roles like shooting and logistics. The chargesheet named 17 accused, including two wanted persons.
This pattern mirrors past operations where shooters were recruited from outside Mumbai, as seen in the 1992 JJ Hospital case and Abu Salem’s recruitment of men from Azamgarh for contract killings.
Investigations And Unanswered Questions
Police are yet to determine how the men involved in Tiger Shroff’s shooting were recruited, who arranged the attack, or whether it was linked to an established gang. The case is being examined in light of recent trends involving the Lawrence Bishnoi network.
The Indian Express reports that the incident has raised concerns about Mumbai’s underworld evolving into a more decentralized structure, with shooters drawn from diverse regions. This aligns with historical patterns where underworld operations expanded their reach beyond local confines.
