Tiger Shroff narrowly escaped death on Sunday, with many considering it a blessing and divine intervention that he remained unharmed despite the attackers allegedly trying to shoot at him at point-blank range. Their gun jammed, and the crowd started screaming.
The viral clip also shows the attackers pulling at the car door where Tiger was seated, but they could not open it. The driver was injured and is now being treated at a hospital.
Within minutes, the attackers identified themselves on social media as Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu. They also issued a warning to Bollywood at large, while specifically targeting people associated with their main target, Salman Khan. They announced that nobody would be spared. The wording was ominous and unambiguous. In the recording, Anil openly threatened Salman Khan and his family with complete annihilation. Not even a kutta ( dog) inside their home would be left alive, the alleged attacker boasted.
However, on Monday morning, a headline in a leading publication read, "Tiger Zinda Hai", while reporting on the alleged murderous attack on Bollywood star Tiger Shroff. Not just media outlets, but the internet was also seen mocking and making memes about Tiger Shroff's firing incident. Many made highly insensitive and nasty comments, such as saying that had he been shot, it would have been "Ek Tha Tiger".
Some also said that Tiger is harmless and has not been embroiled in controversies. He plays football shirtless, plays cricket in his underwear, and is friendly with kids. Many even lauded his bravery and the way he did not panic, handled the situation and drove his injured driver home.
Amid the memes and insensitive comments online, Tiger, who is now doing well, has liked a meme about his own firing incident.
Tiger liked an Instagram post shared on October 20, marking his first known social media interaction since the firing incident.
The post featured his song "Raat Bhar" from his debut film, Heropanti, playing in the background. The video showed Tiger riding a bike with his co-star Kriti Sanon seated behind him in a scene from the film, accompanied by the text, "Bhai, raat bhar ke liye kya, zindagi bhar ke liye gayab ho jata."
The timing of the interaction has drawn attention, given that it came shortly after the firing incident. However, it remains unclear whether Tiger liked the post intentionally or whether the interaction was accidental.
While the actor has not issued a statement since the incident, his latest social media activity has caught attention.
What the statement says
Tiger's team has issued a strong warning against the spread of fake news and AI-generated content falsely linked to the actor. In a statement, the team clarified that Tiger has not made any public comments or released videos about the recent incident and warned that those responsible for spreading misleading content could face legal action.
The statement comes amid concerns over social media pages and digital platforms using fabricated material to create confusion and spread unverified claims. Team Tiger has urged people to rely on official sources instead of believing or sharing content without checking its authenticity.
"We would like to categorically clarify that Tiger Shroff has made no statements, released no videos, and authorised no communication regarding the recent incident or any related developments," the statement read.
The statement also raised concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence and the circulation of misleading stories online. According to the team, several platforms have been sharing "fabricated stories, AI-generated videos and scripted narratives, falsely attributed to Tiger". It described such material as "completely false, unauthorised and intended to mislead the public".
Team Tiger also called on media organisations and digital platforms to exercise caution before publishing or sharing content about the actor. The team stressed that it does not support or endorse any of the fabricated material and urged publishers to verify information rather than prioritise clicks or revenue. It asked them to "refrain from creating or amplifying misinformation for engagement or monetary gain".
"Any individual or page found creating, promoting or circulating such fabricated content will face appropriate legal action. We are taking cognisance of these instances and reserve the right to pursue all available legal remedies against those responsible," the notice stated.
The team concluded by asking the public to remain cautious about unverified claims and check information through the actor's official channels. It urged "everyone to rely only on verified communication from Tiger Shroff and his official team".
Following the attack on Tiger Shroff on Sunday, a Mumbai Police team that arrived in Rajasthan to take custody of two men and a minor apprehended in connection with the firing returned to Kota late Monday after setting out by road amid security concerns about travelling at night.
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police Raj Tilak Roshan of the Mumbai Crime Branch said around 20 special teams were formed after the shooting on Sunday evening. Investigators went through CCTV footage and technical evidence to trace the motorcycle allegedly used in the attack and follow the suspects' escape route. The bike was eventually traced to the area near Andheri West Railway Station.
"On the basis of field work and technical analysis, the bike was traced near Andheri West Railway Station. On the basis of CCTV footage and other technical analysis, we found out the path of the three. It was found that they had headed toward Northern Mumbai and left for Surat," the DCP said.
