Thought it was tyre burst: Man shot near Tiger Shroff's car recounts firing incident

Umesh Chauhan thought a tyre had burst when he heard gunfire near actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai on Sunday night. Then came a sharp pain in his chest, followed by difficulty breathing.Speaking to India Today TV from hospital, Chauhan said he was standing near the window on Shroff’s side of the car, recording a video as the actor left a football ground in Juhu.“When the car came out of the gate, I was standing near the window, very close to Tiger Shroff. I was recording a video when I heard the sound. I thought a tyre had burst, but soon after, I felt severe pain in my chest,” he said.Chauhan shouted for help as he struggled to breathe, then lost consciousness. He said he did not realise he had been shot until he reached hospital. “Initially, I thought I was having a heart attack,” he said. He was treated at Cooper Hospital in Juhu before being shifted to KEM Hospital in Parel around midnight for specialist care. Chauhan said that Shroff’s mother visited him on Tuesday and assured him of assistance.BULLET DID NOT DAMAGE HEART OR LUNGSChauhan is stable and under close observation, KEM Hospital said. The bullet did not damage his heart or lungs. “He is currently haemodynamically stable and is receiving treatment in the Emergency ICU under the Department of General Surgery, with consultation from the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (CVTS) team,” the hospital said.Doctors are treating him without surgery for now. Further treatment will depend on his recovery and additional assessments.Chauhan, who is from Uttar Pradesh, works as a driver and domestic worker. His earnings support his wife and six-year-old son.The family is expecting another child in the coming weeks, according to reports. The shooting has left them worried about his recovery and their finances.THREE ACCUSED HELD IN KOTAThe attack took place as Shroff was leaving the football ground at Pushpa Narsee Park in Juhu. Police said three men arrived on a motorcycle, with two firing at the actor’s car while the third waited to drive them away.The three accused were caught by Kota city police on the Pune-Jaipur Superfast Express at Kota railway station in Rajasthan. Police sources said they were allegedly trying to flee to Nepal.Mumbai Police identified them as Ritik, Phool Singh and Rehan. Police clarified that none of the three is a minor.Kota Superintendent of Police Tejaswani Gautam said one accused was in contact with Anil Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. A social media post purportedly claiming responsibility for the gang has not been verified.- Ends