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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

Accused trio get 10-day remand

Mumbai: A Mumbai Court has given 10 days police custody to three arrested accused in the firing on Bollywood action star Tiger Shroff in a crowded public place as the investigators attempt to unravel the conspiracy, motives, involvement of other players and related aspects of the sensational case, on Wednesday. The accused trio Rehan alias Sukka, and Phool Singh both from Sonipat in Haryana and Rhitik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar but currently residing in Mumbai,...

Accused trio get 10-day remand

Mumbai: A Mumbai Court has given 10 days police custody to three arrested accused in the firing on Bollywood action star Tiger Shroff in a crowded public place as the investigators attempt to unravel the conspiracy, motives, involvement of other players and related aspects of the sensational case, on Wednesday. The accused trio Rehan alias Sukka, and Phool Singh both from Sonipat in Haryana and Rhitik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar but currently residing in Mumbai, were brought here from Kota in separate vehicles early today. They were produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Esplanade Court where the police sought 14 days’ custody for the accused who are allegedly acting at the behest of the jailed mafia chief Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang. Pleading for the remand, the police lawyers argued that sustained custodial interrogation was necessary to recover the weapons used in the shooting – which the accused had thrown away while fleeing, retrieve two mobile phones which were reportedly destroyed by the accused, besides digging out the entire conspiracy, pinpoint the exact motives and identify other persons involved in the brazen attack. Opposing the plea, the accused’s lawyers Ajinkya Mirgal and Satyabrat Joshi argued that police custody was unnecessary, particularly for recovering the weapons. Mirgal and Joshi later told mediapersons that the accused had already been interrogated at a railway colony during their transit-remand period and were produced before the CMM Court just minutes before the transit remand expired this afternoon. After hearing both sides, the CMM remanded them to police custody for 10 days till October 31. It may be recalled that Shroff, 36, was targeted on the evening of October 18 near Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu. Despite being a heavily crowded area, the assailants were seen firing at least 5-6 rounds at the actor’s car before fleeing on a motorcycle. A shaken Shroff escaped relatively unhurt, sustaining minor bruises, but his driver and a bystander suffered injuries. Following the incident, the Mumbai Police registered a case of attempted murder and offences under the Arms Act, and launched an interstate investigation involving Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, and later Gujarat and Delhi. The Mumbai Police formed 20 teams to hunt down the attackers, recovered the second-hand motorcycle outside Andheri station where it was abandoned and tracked their journey through different modes of transport from Mumbai to Surat and Kota. Acting on a tech-intel alert from Mumbai Police, the Kota Police lay in wait for them and apprehended them from the general coach of the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express on Monday morning. Initial probe revealed that the assailants were planning to flee the country after travelling to the borders via Jaipur and Delhi. They were lured by the promise of sneaking them out of India to a foreign country, possibly Canada and rehabilitating them. Three key accused brought to Mumbai from Kota Three key accused apprehended in connection with the firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car were brought to Mumbai from Kota in Rajasthan early on Wednesday, police said. Police brought them by road from Kota to Mumbai and, upon arrival, immediately took them to GT Hospital for a mandatory medical examination, an official said. Following the medical check-up, the accused were escorted to the Mumbai Crime Branch’s Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) office for interrogation. The accused have been identified as Rehan alias Sukka, from Sonipat in Haryana; Ritik Kurmi alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar and living in Mumbai; and Phool Singh from Haryana, the official said. The Kota city police had handed them over to Mumbai Police, which formally arrested them and produced them before a magistrate there. The court granted transit remand to take them to Mumbai. Meanwhile, advocate Ajinkya Mirgal arrived at the AEC office in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, informing officials that he would represent the accused as their defence counsel in the case. At least two men fired gunshots at Shroff’s car in Mumbai’s Juhu area on Sunday evening before speeding away on a motorcycle. The actor escaped relatively unhurt, while his driver and a bystander were injured. According to Mumbai Police, five to six rounds were fired at the car. A motorcycle, allegedly used by the shooters, was found abandoned in Andheri. The accused fled to Surat and once there, boarded a Jaipur-bound train. The three were supposed to go to Delhi on a bus and then flee to Nepal. The Mumbai Police have registered a case under the provisions of attempt to murder and the Arms Act. According to the police, Rehan was in touch with Anil Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which claimed responsibility for the attack in an unverified social media post. On Tuesday, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested four more persons, including two women, in connection with the firing case. Police suspect they were acting on the directions of Anil Pandit, a gangster operating from abroad, an official earlier said. The four accused, identified as Kunal (21), Sumit (19), Radha (23), and Babita (23), were apprehended from Delhi and Haryana. According to police, Kunal allegedly collected a pistol and 20 rounds from Amritsar on the instructions of Anil Pandit, with Sumit accompanying him. Radha and Babita allegedly travelled to Mumbai with the weapon. Following the arrest, the police said the motive of the shooting was being ascertained, while the way Shroff was attacked, the assailants planned to kill him.

Hindu aspirations and the BJP's test of governance

Writer: Akhilesh Sinha
Akhilesh Sinha
May 5
3 min read

New Delhi: The recent electoral outcomes in West Bengal are more than mere numbers, but they carry a clear message that Bengali Hindus are now openly voicing their demands for security, dignity, and a future of young and next generation. For the past fifty years, and especially over the last fifteen, the Hindu community in the state has often been treated as second-class citizens. Their lands have been encroached upon, their homes and families threatened, and their social, cultural, and religious rights repeatedly violated.


For the BJP, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge lies in whether it can truly secure these rights for Hindus, while the opportunity is that the model established in West Bengal could serve as an example for the entire country. Bengali Hindus no longer wish to hear mere promises, but they seek tangible results, as seen in Uttar Pradesh and Assam. They demand governance and administration like Bulldozer Baba.


Over the last fifteen years, Bengali Hindus have faced numerous hardships. Bangladeshi infiltrators have seized land and created an atmosphere of fear, particularly for women. Incidents in places like Sandeshkhali, Murshidabad, and Basirhat highlighted how perpetrators often enjoyed political protection until intervention came from the central government. Cultural events like Durga Puja have sometimes been marred by stone-pelting and vandalism of idols, denting the morale of the Hindu community.


Bias within the state administration has also been a persistent problem. Preferential recruitment, from sub-inspectors to DSPs, often favored certain communities, including officers who supported antisocial elements that harassed Hindus. In this context, the BJP government will need to implement administrative reforms to restore law and order at its core. The police must be removed from serving political interests and tasked with protecting the public.


Political Arm

Accusations have long been made that West Bengal police have effectively functioned as the political arm of the TMC. The fact that TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, while holding the office of Chief Minister, staged a sit-in protest when the CBI was interrogating the then Kolkata Police Commissioner, Rajeev Kumar, serves as proof of this. Reports of violence against Hindus, sexual offenses, attacks on BJP workers, and assaults on political opponents' homes underscore the need for a law-and-order system free of leniency toward criminals.


Additionally, for the sake of security and justice, it is imperative to expedite the NRC process in the state, identify illegal immigrants, and enforce strict deportation policies. The BSF should be empowered with authority similar to that in Jammu-Kashmir to prevent cross-border infiltration, including the right to use lethal force if necessary. Furthermore, their operational jurisdiction should not be restricted to a 50 km border zone but extended across the state to curb illegal entry comprehensively.


Safeguarding the religious rights of Hindus is equally crucial. Measures should include preventing attacks on temples, enacting strict non-bailable laws against those who vandalize Durga Puja and other religious events, and rigorously removing illegal encroachments to secure Hindu land and temple property.


Social Pressure

The BJP faces the challenge of fulfilling the aspirations of Hindus in the state by providing them with security, dignity, and employment. Economic and social pressures over the past fifteen years have forced many Hindus to migrate. Districts like Malda and Murshidabad witnessed a near-control over Hindu economic activities, resembling an economic siege. The BJP must craft proactive policies to ensure the Hindu community can once again feel secure and self-reliant.


Strict implementation of the CAA, handing pending cases to the CBI for resolution, and protecting Bengali Hindus' land and rights is not merely a religious issue, but it is a matter of national security. The violations of Hindu rights in Pakistan and Bangladesh stand as grave warnings. Preventing such infringements in India is now the responsibility of West Bengal's new government.


By voting for the BJP, Hindus in West Bengal have sent a clear mandate. They have not merely changed the government, but they have demanded protection of Indian civilization, as well as cultural, social, and economic security. The BJP now has the opportunity to demonstrate that Hindus have the right to live in a safe, dignified, and law-abiding society. Failure to deliver will invite the same political criticism faced by Congress and other parties that pursued appeasement policies. It is worth noting that Kashmiri Pandits, displaced from Jammu-Kashmir, have still not been fully rehabilitated.


Meeting the aspirations of West Bengal's Hindus will be the BJP's greatest test. This is not just about political success, but it is about safeguarding Hindus, protecting Indian culture, and securing the future of young and next generation. The outcome of the BJP's actions will send a nationwide message that Hindus can live safely and with dignity in their own country.

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