Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday that the perpetrators behind the assassination bid of Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff are operating from outside the state and there is also a possibility that could even be working from outside the country. However, he assured that the guilty will not be spared and the state government will be taking all the necessary steps.
Briefing the reporters in Nagpur day after the actor was targeted at Juhu, the chief minister described the incident as a "very serious and condemnable matter", but assured that the police have taken it with "utmost seriousness". He said certain clues have been obtained and efforts remain underway to identify the perpetrators, assuring everyone that they will be arrested soon.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader also said the state government is coordinating with the Centre.
"It is important to note that none of these individuals operate from within Maharashtra; those who do operate from within the state have already been arrested," Fadnavis said. "These perpetrators are operating from outside Maharashtra, or even from outside the country."
"By coordinating with the states from which they operate, and with the assistance of the Central Government regarding those operating from abroad, we will track them down and take strict action against them. I reiterate: these are cowardly individuals. They attempt to strike from the shadows, but their efforts will be thwarted," he added.
Shroff, 36, was attacked by three men at the Juhu area on Sunday evening. The attackers fled from the scene on a bike immediately, and the police have launched a hunt to trace them. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in a viral social media post, has claimed responsibility for the attack, but police are trying to ascertain this.
Fadnavis has said the authorities will spare no one, regardless if it were an individual or a gang. He warned that if anyone attempts to operate through such threats, the Mumbai Police "knows exactly how to set them straight."
Regarding his telephonic conversation with the actor, the chief minister said he has assured Shroff that he need not to worry and the government will assure his safety.
"Action is currently underway. That is why I said, no matter where their masterminds might be hiding, the due legal process must be followed. The Mumbai Police has demonstrated in the past that no matter where such perpetrators may be hiding in the world, the Mumbai Police will track them down," he said.