It happened around 7 in the evening on 18 October in Juhu. Tiger had gone to play football near Pushpa Narsee Park, the way he often does. He was leaving in his car when a few guys on a motorcycle showed up and opened fire. Reports say three to five rounds were pumped toward the vehicle. His driver, Firdaus, took a bullet in the left hand. Another person nearby, an auto driver named Chauhan, also got hurt. Tiger himself did not take a direct hit from a bullet. The injuries you see in the photos – the wrapped arm, the dressings on the chest and shoulder – came from gunpowder burns and bits of glass that flew when the shots hit the car.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde went to their place late that night. That’s when these pictures came out. Tiger on the sofa, Ayesha Shroff right there, and you can clearly see the medical stuff on him. Shinde told the media the actor and his mother were quite shaken. Fair enough. One minute you’re playing football, next minute people are shooting at your car in the middle of Juhu. He also said this kind of dadagiri won’t run in Mumbai, no going back to those old gang war days. Government is with the family, that sort of thing.
Police have put fifteen teams on it. FIR against three people, the bike they used has been found near Andheri station. And of course the Bishnoi gang side claimed they did it. Same circle that’s been making noise about film people for a while now. Salman has had his share of trouble from that lot, now Tiger. Feels like these threats keep circling the industry.
Looking at the photo, you can tell it was close. Glass everywhere, sudden bangs that some people nearby first thought were just firecrackers going off. Tiger apparently grabbed the wheel himself at one point to rush the injured driver to hospital. Later he was seen leaving Nanavati in a police vehicle, head down, bandage visible. By the time Shinde showed up at the house the dressings were properly on and everyone was trying to settle a bit.
It’s one of those incidents that sits heavy. These actors already move with security, but when someone opens fire in a crowded evening spot like Juhu, it hits different. Ordinary people got caught in it – a driver doing his job, an auto wallah just there. Tiger’s whole image is that action hero, all fitness and stunts, and then the real world throws this at him out of nowhere.
Shinde made it a point to say safety of film stars, industrialists, regular people – all the same. No threats will be tolerated. Jackie’s side confirmed early that Tiger was okay, which calmed some of the panic online. Still, when you see those bandages in the photo, it lands. You look at it and think how thin that line was between him walking away with just dressing and something much worse.
Investigation is on. CCTV being checked, trying to pin the faces of the shooters. The claim of responsibility is part of it all. For now the pictures from the house are what everyone’s staring at – Tiger with the arm wrapped, dressing on the chest and shoulder, sitting through the deputy CM’s visit a few hours after the firing.
Just a normal Sunday evening that went completely sideways. Football, heading home, and then this. The first pics after the attempt don’t need any extra drama. Arm wrapped, dressing on the chest. He’s out of the worst of it, family’s got support, police are working. That’s where it stands this Monday morning.
Sources: Economic Times, Indian Express, NDTV, The Daily Jagran, India Today, Hindustan Times, ANI.
@Rohit Manral
