Mumbai: The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. The NCP leader, 66, was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Mumbai's Bandra East last night.
According to the police, three shooters were involved in the murder. Out of the three, two have been arrested - Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh - and the third has been identified as Shiv Kumar Gautam, also from UP. A fourth person, believed to be the handler, is also on the run.
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The incident, which unfolded around 9:30 pm, saw Mr Siddique and his associate targeted by assailants who fired multiple rounds, fatally striking the politician in the chest. Hours after the shooting, the notorious Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the assassination through a social media post. Central agencies are now investigating the post, reportedly linked to a Facebook account belonging to Shubuu Lonkar, who, sources suggest, may actually be Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar - an associate of the Bishnoi gang.
Shubham Lonkar was arrested earlier this year from Maharashtra's Akola for possession of illegal weapons and is believed to have strong connections with the Bishnoi network. During police interrogation, Shubham confessed to communicating with Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence's close brother, through video calls, linking him to the notorious gang leader.
The investigation into Mr Siddiqui's murder has also revealed that two of the shooters, Dharamraj Kashyap and Shiv Kumar Gautam, hail from Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich. Both are neighbours and reportedly worked as labourers in Pune before being lured into the criminal underworld. Bahraich Superintendent of Police (SP) Vrinda Shukla confirmed that while Dharamraj has been arrested, Shiv Kumar remains on the run. Neither had a criminal record in their hometown, but sources indicate they aimed to gain notoriety by associating with the Bishnoi gang, a connection allegedly forged during their time in a Punjab jail.
The suspects had been monitoring Mr Siddique for months, conducting reconnaissance of his residence and office, police said. The police revealed that the suspects had been paid Rs 50,000 each in advance for the hit and that arms had been delivered to them only days before the assassination.
Both arrested suspects are now in police custody, and the hunt for the others continues. Mumbai Police have also heightened the security around Salman Khan's residence - the site at which a shooting incident took place.
On the night of April 14, Mumbai's Bandra neighbourhood was rocked by the sound of gunfire as two men on motorbikes fired multiple rounds outside Mr Khan's residence. The accused, associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, were charged with conspiracy to murder and other grave offences.
According to the charge sheet, the Bishnoi gang had issued a contract worth Rs 25 lakh to assassinate the actor. The plan was hatched over several months, from August 2023 to April 2024.
Mr Siddique enjoyed comradeship across party lines, therefore, his killing has drawn widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, with senior politicians offering condolences while expressing outrage over the escalating violence in Maharashtra.
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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was among the first to react, calling Mr Siddique's murder "shocking beyond words." In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Kharge said, "The tragic demise of former Maharashtra Minister, Baba Siddique, is shocking beyond words. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and supporters. Justice must be ensured, and the present Maharashtra government must order a thorough and transparent investigation. The culprits must be brought to book at the earliest. Accountability is paramount."
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expressed similar sentiments.
"The tragic demise of Baba Siddique ji is shocking and saddening. My thoughts are with his family in this difficult time. This horrifying incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra. The government must take responsibility, and justice must prevail," Mr Gandhi wrote about his former colleague on X.
The murder has triggered a political slugfest between the BJP and Opposition parties. While the BJP has asked not to politicise the murder, the Opposition, Congress in particular, has claimed a "complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra".