A shocking incident unfolded on Saturday night when former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead outside his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique’s office. Following the murder of Siddique, the Mumbai Police has arrested two suspects, who claimed that they belong to Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang, NDTV quotes sources as saying. The police haven’t verified this claim, while the Bishnoi gang hasn’t officially confirmed the assassination. Serious security concerns have emerged after the shooting incident at a time when Maharashtra state elections are approaching.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique had served three terms as MLA from Bandra (East). He recently joined the faction led by Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party after leaving the Congress party.
Arrests And Allegations
The assassination happened on Dussehra when three youths carried out the tragic attack. Two accused arrested hailed from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, police said. The third one is absconding.
Sources within the Mumbai Police Crime Branch claimed the two arrested persons have been doing recce in Bandra East for the shooting spot for nearly a month. Additionally, sources said they arrived in an auto-rickshaw and waited for the right moment to carry out the attack.
Police are currently probing two possible motives behind the shooting: one related to the Bishnoi gang and the other related to a slum rehabilitation case, in which Siddique was earlier involved.
Bishnoi-Salman Angle
Concerns about the Bishnoi gang stem from Siddique’s connections to Bollywood star Salman Khan. Bollywood star Salman Khan had reportedly received threats from Lawrence Bishnoi. Fifteen days before his murder, Siddique is said to have received a death threat and was put under ‘Y’ category security, but he didn’t report it to the police.
Broader Implications
Central agencies are in touch with Mumbai Police and an investigation is being conducted. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has laid out Instructions to Mumbai Police, ensuring strict action is taken against those who take law and order into their hands.
Lawrence Bishnoi is currently in Gujarat jail due to various criminal charges against him. Bishnoi’s gang is infamous for its links with notorious gangs and suspicious activities. Salman Khan has been his target due to the 1998 black buck hunting case.
Also Read: Baba Siddique Murder: Accused Did Recce Of NCP Leader’s House, Says Mumbai Police
