Mumbai, Oct 19 — Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday issued a stern warning to criminal syndicates following the shocking attack on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff. Dismissing the perpetrators as cowards hiding behind remote communication networks, the Chief Minister asserted that the Mumbai Police will completely dismantle the international tentacles of these criminal gangs.
Emphasising the professional calibre of the city's law enforcement, CM Fadnavis stated that no one will be permitted to openly challenge the Mumbai Police or threaten public safety. Labelling the culprits as cowardly proxies who operate from hidden locations, he declared that their plots will be thoroughly neutralised.
Acknowledging that the threats originate from outside Maharashtra and beyond national borders, CM Fadnavis confirmed that the state machinery is actively coordinating with central intelligence agencies to root out the entire network.
"The police will find the accused, and their masterminds have also been found. Therefore, I can say with certainty that such incidents will not be tolerated. The Mumbai Police will definitely track down the accused. No one can openly challenge the police," said CM Fadnavis.
"These are cowardly people. They hide somewhere and boast from there. They don't have the courage. These are kind of hired people, and those who operate based on them," CM Fadnavis said.
"The challenge the police definitely face in this is that they do not operate from Maharashtra; they operate from outside the country. By contacting the Central government agencies, the Mumbai Police will annihilate these gangs operating from outside Maharashtra and the country," he added.
He noted that the police have already mapped crucial trails and identified key operatives linked to the assault.
CM Fadnavis said that public safety -- for both celebrities and ordinary citizens -- remains its paramount priority. With multiple specialised police teams deployed to probe the shooting, he added that the government has made it clear that local conspirators and international masterminds alike will face the full might of the law.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the attack on actor Tiger Shroff was extremely unfortunate, and he fortunately survived it. He mentioned that following the attack, Shroff's entire family is currently in a state of terror and anxiety, prompting him to personally visit them to check on his health.
The Deputy CM noted that despite having no disputes or quarrels with anyone, such a life-threatening attack on a young actor has left the Shroff family, especially his mother, Ayesha Shroff, under severe mental stress.
Following the incident, Mumbai Police have taken serious cognisance of the matter, with the Police Commissioner forming a special team to track down the culprits.
Deputy CM Shinde, who visited the Tiger Shroff at his residence and inquired about his health, stated that these criminals will be apprehended immediately and strict action will be taken against them. Additionally, he mentioned that instructions have been given to the Mumbai Police Commissioner to review the security of all artists and actors in the film industry.
Addressing recent incidents of celebrities being threatened by the Bishnoi gang or other gangs, Shinde asserted, "The terror of any gang or attempts to threaten celebrities in Mumbai or Maharashtra will not be tolerated. Anyone attempting to do so will be given a fitting reply by the police," he said.
Recalling how the police completely crushed Mumbai's gang wars through strict action in the 1990s, Dy CM Shinde warned that anyone attempting to create terror through similar bullying today will not be spared. "The security of ordinary citizens and celebrities is the top priority of the government. Artists in the film industry have no reason to panic following such incidents," said Dy CM Shinde.
He appealed to people that anyone receiving threat calls or messages from such gangs should immediately contact the Mumbai Police, assuring that the government stands firmly behind the artists.