In a shocking turn of events, well-known politician Baba Siddique was shot dead in Mumbai's Bandra area by three assailants. The incident has sent shockwaves through the city and raised serious concerns about the safety and security of public figures. The investigation of his demise is underway.
Mumbai Police launched an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding Siddique's murder. Initial reports suggest that two assailants have been arrested and one is still absconding.
Mumbai police suspect it is Lawrence Bishnoi's gang
The police have confirmed that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi is believed to be involved in the killing.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang on Sunday claimed responsibility for the murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique.
As soon as the reports surfaced, a Facebook post by a gang member, went viral, in which the member said that Siddiqui was attacked because of his close ties to Bollywood actor Salman Khan and alleged links to underworld figures like Dawood Ibrahim. The post also mentioned Anuj Thapan, an accused in the firing incident outside Khan's home, who later died by suicide in police custody.
In the post, the gang member wrote, "Om, Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat," followed by, "I understand the essence of life and consider wealth and the body as dust. I did only what was right, honouring the duty of friendship."
The post goes on to say, "Salman Khan, we did not want this war but you made our brother lose his life. Today the pool of decency of Baba Siddique is closed or at one time he was under MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) with Dawood. The reason for his death was his links to Dawood and Anuj Thapan in Bollywood, politics, and property dealings."
"We have no personal enmity with anyone. However, anyone who helps Salman Khan or the Dawood gang should be prepared. If anyone gets any of our brothers killed, we will respond. We never strike first. Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat, salute to the martyrs," the post further read.
After the post went viral, the Mumbai Police said they were examining its authenticity.
Where did the shooting occur?
The incident took place as Siddique was leaving his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra East and was entering his car. According to the police, the assailants fired around six to seven rounds at him, of which two bullets hit him in the chest and one hit him in the abdomen. He sustained multiple serious injuries and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was pronounced dead during treatment.
The Mumbai crime branch investigating Baba Siddique's murder said the three men who allegedly shot the former minister in Bandra on Saturday had met a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in a Haryana jail where they had been lodged for various crimes.
The arrested accused, Gurmail Singh and Dharmaraj Kashyap, were presented before the Killa court on Sunday and remanded in police custody.
Two more people, identified as Shivkumar Gautam and Mohamed Zeeshan Akhtar, are wanted in the case. While Gautam was one of the three shooters in Bandra, Akhtar is believed to have received the contract to murder Siddique.
Security outside Salman Khan's has tightened.
Salman Khan has faced multiple threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang over the past several years, with the most recent incident occurring in April this year when two bike-borne men opened fire outside his Mumbai residence.
