The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the assassination of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. The 66-year-old NCP leader was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Mumbai’s Bandra East on Friday night.
According to the police, three gunmen carried out the attack. They have arrested two of the shooters: Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana, and Dharamraj Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh. The third shooter, identified as Shiv Kumar Gautam from UP, remains at large. Additionally, police are searching for a fourth suspect, believed to be the handler.
The Incident
The tragic shooting took place around 9:30 PM when Baba Siddique and his associate were ambushed. The assailants fired multiple rounds, striking Siddique in the chest, leading to his death. Soon after the incident, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the assassination through a social media post. Authorities are now investigating the claim, which was allegedly linked to a Facebook account managed by Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, an associate of the Bishnoi gang.
Suspects’ Connection to Bishnoi Gang
Shubham Lonkar, arrested earlier this year for possessing illegal weapons, reportedly has close ties with the Bishnoi gang. During interrogation, he revealed that he communicated with Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, via video calls, further linking him to the notorious gang.
The investigation has also uncovered that two of the shooters, Dharamraj Kashyap and Shiv Kumar Gautam, hail from Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. Both suspects, who worked as laborers in Pune, were lured into the gang while serving time in a Punjab jail. They had been conducting surveillance on Baba Siddique for months before the assassination. According to police, they were paid ₹50,000 in advance for the killing, and the weapons were delivered shortly before the attack.
Ongoing Investigation
Both arrested suspects are currently in police custody, and the search for the remaining suspects continues. Mumbai Police have heightened security measures around Salman Khan’s residence due to a previous shooting incident involving the Bishnoi gang. In that case, the gang had reportedly issued a ₹25 lakh contract to kill the actor.
Political Reactions
Baba Siddique, a respected figure with friends across party lines, has been mourned by many political leaders. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed shock and grief, calling for a thorough investigation into the killing. In a statement on social media platform X, Kharge urged the Maharashtra government to ensure that the culprits are swiftly brought to justice.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also condemned the murder, expressing sadness over the loss of his former colleague. He pointed to the incident as a sign of deteriorating law and order in Maharashtra and called on the government to take responsibility.
Political Tensions
The murder has ignited a political confrontation between the BJP and opposition parties. While the BJP urged leaders not to politicize the issue, Congress and other opposition parties have criticized the state government’s handling of law and order, accusing it of failing to maintain safety in the state.
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