Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister, was killed in a targeted shooting on Saturday night in Mumbai’s Bandra East. Three gunmen, who fired six bullets in total, ambushed Siddique around 9:30 PM outside the office of his son, Zeeshan Siddique. Two bullets struck the minister in his chest, and despite being rushed to Lilavati Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Suspects Identified in the Attack
The suspects, believed to be linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, had conducted surveillance on Siddique and his family for two months prior to the attack. In total, four individuals were involved—three shooters and a person providing them with real-time updates. The shooters used a 9.9 mm pistol, indicating a possible contract killing.
Two Arrested in Connection with the Killing
Two suspects, Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana, and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh, were arrested immediately following the attack. Authorities have assembled five teams to investigate the case further, including probing connections to the Bishnoi gang. The Mumbai police are working to apprehend a third suspect who remains at large.
Siddique’s Death and Investigation
Siddique, who had recently switched allegiance from the Congress to Ajit Pawar’s NCP, had been under ‘Y’ category security following a death threat he received 15 days prior. According to Dr. Nitin Gokhale of Lilavati Hospital, Siddique had no pulse when he arrived at the hospital, and he was pronounced dead at 11:27 PM due to two gunshot wounds.
A case has been filed at the Nirmal Nagar Police Station under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Arms Act, and the Maharashtra Police Act.
Political Reactions and Fast-Track Court Promise
The incident occurred during Dussehra and in the lead-up to the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde promised swift justice, stating that the case would be moved to a fast-track court and expressing confidence that the third suspect would soon be arrested. Siddique, apart from his political career, was also known for hosting high-profile events, including a famous 2013 iftaar party that brought together Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan after a long-standing feud.
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