New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force, led by Additional Director General Amitabh Yash, has arrested seven members of the Shubham Lonkar gang, including the main shooter, in connection with the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Mumbai earlier this month.
According to official sources, the arrests were carried out on 15 February from multiple locations, including Jhajjar in Haryana, Agra, and Noida, following coordinated intelligence gathering and technical surveillance conducted jointly with the Mumbai Police Crime Branch and STF field units.
The firing incident took place at around 12.45 am on 1 February outside Shetty Tower in Juhu, Mumbai, where members of the Lonkar gang allegedly opened fire with the intention of spreading terror and establishing dominance in the film industry and among business circles. Mumbai Police had registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act and sought assistance from the Uttar Pradesh STF after identifying links to suspects based in north India.
STF officials told this newspaper that they identified Deepak, a 24 year old resident of Bijoli village in Agra district, as the main shooter. Other arrested accused include Sunny, Sonu, Ritik, Vishu Kushwaha, Jatin Mahajan, and Vishal, all aged between 22 and 26, with roots in Agra, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Etawah. Investigators said several of the accused were directly involved in reconnaissance, logistics, and execution of the firing.
During interrogation, the accused told STF officers that the attack was carried out on the instructions of the Shubham Lonkar gang, which has been attempting to build notoriety by targeting high profile personalities. They said the gang aimed to generate fear and gain recognition in criminal networks and media through high visibility attacks.
STF officials said the investigation involved extensive intelligence coordination across states, including Haryana and Maharashtra, and relied on technical evidence, electronic surveillance, and human intelligence. The arrests were made after tracking the movement and communication of gang members across multiple jurisdictions.
The STF said further investigation is underway in coordination with Mumbai Police to identify additional conspirators and dismantle the wider network linked to the Lonkar gang.