Gunfire On Tiger Shroff Triggers Political Storm Over Maharashtra’s Trillion-Dollar Investment Dream
Following Sunday night’s firing on actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai’s Juhu, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has stepped up its attack on the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government over the “failing” law and order situation in Maharashtra.
The ruling coalition, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar-led NCP, has sought to counter such criticism by citing various incidents that happened during the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA regime.
But with the Mahayuti commanding a substantial majority in the 288-member Assembly, the government’s response to the growing perception of insecurity assumes larger significance.
Two weeks ago, Pradeep Purnekar, a leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), was shot dead in neighbouring Thane. The killing of an Opposition leader in Shinde’s stronghold, followed by the reported investigation into the role of Shiv Sena leader Meenakshi Shinde’s husband, has put the Mahayuti on the defensive.
A recurring pattern
The attack on Shroff is part of a pattern of shootings targeting prominent personalities in Mumbai in recent years.
In April 2024, assailants on motorcycles opened fire outside Bollywood star Salman Khan’s residence, Galaxy Apartments, in Bandra. The incident was linked to the threat posed by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and prompted heightened security measures. In February 2026, gunfire was reported outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu.
In October 2024, former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique, who had close links with Bollywood and the corporate world, was shot dead in Bandra. His son and NCP MLC, Zeeshan Siddique has publicly criticised the government over alleged security lapses.
These concerns are not confined to shootings involving celebrities and political figures. The alleged proliferation of illicit drug-manufacturing units and MDMA (mephedrone) networks have figured prominently in debates in the state legislature, with members across party lines raising questions about the reach of the drug trade.
CM Fadnavis has announced measures to strengthen the anti-narcotics police machinery, but enforcement will have to be sustained to produce results.
The seizure of fake call centres allegedly used to dupe foreigners, along with the growing incidence of cybercrime, adds to the list of challenges confronting the state’s law enforcement agencies. While these crimes differ in their nature and the methods required to tackle them, they underline the need for a policing system that can keep pace with increasingly organised and sophisticated criminal networks.
Bad optics for investors
The stakes extend beyond politics for the ruling alliance. Maharashtra has set itself the ambitious target of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2030. For a state seeking to attract large-scale domestic and foreign investment, a series of high-profile criminal incidents raises questions about the effectiveness of its policing and the government’s ability to maintain a secure environment for businesses, residents and visitors.
The state attracted the highest foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in the country in 2024-25. At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos this year, the government announced memoranda of understanding worth around Rs 30 lakh crore, with the potential to generate 40 lakh jobs. Its new Industry, Investment and Services Policy aims to attract Rs 70.5 lakh crore in investment and create around 50 lakh direct jobs between 2026 and 2030.
Maharashtra remains among India’s most attractive destinations for investors. The NITI Aayog’s 2026 Investment Friendliness Index placed it among the country’s top-performing states, alongside Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Goa. The five states together account for 85 per cent of India’s FDI inflows. Maintaining that advantage will require more than investment incentives, infrastructure development and streamlined clearances.
Investors are unlikely to judge an entire state on the basis of a criminal incident. But repeated attacks targeted at actors, political leaders, businessmen and other prominent personalities can gradually create a perception that people and assets are vulnerable. Such perceptions can affect confidence even when the state’s economic fundamentals remain strong.
Companies assess infrastructure, skilled labour, logistics, regulatory efficiency and policy stability when deciding where to invest. They also consider the security of their employees, facilities and business operations. A state competing for trillions of rupees in investment cannot afford to treat law and order as a matter of political messaging alone.
Entertainment sector’s challenge
The issue is particularly relevant for Maharashtra’s plans to expand its entertainment industry. The government has proposed to upgrade Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, popularly known as Film City, in Goregaon; develop a new Film City in Malad; establish film cities in Nashik and Nagpur; and upgrade the NDA Studio taken over by the state government. These projects are expected to require substantial public and private investment.
At the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in 2025, Godrej Fund Management and Investment Advisers and Prime Focus announced investments worth Rs 5,000 crore in Mumbai to establish filmmaking facilities. Such investments underline the city’s potential to strengthen its position as a global entertainment hub. Ensuring the safety of actors, production crews, investors and film infrastructure will be essential to realising that ambition.
While the Fadnavis government may defend its law and order track record by drawing comparisons with the MVA governemnt’s record, observers say that it may not be an effective substitute for addressing the concerns raised by the latest incidents.
