Lawrence Bishnoi's gang claims responsibility for Baba Siddique's murder

Mumbai:

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. The 66-year-old NCP leader was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra East area of ​​Mumbai last night.

According to police, three shooters were involved in the murder. Of the three, two were arrested – Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh – and the third was identified as Shiv Kumar, also from UP. A fourth person, who is believed to be the perpetrator, is also on the run.

In the incident, which took place around 9:30 p.m., Mr. Siddique and his associate were attacked by assailants who fired several shots, fatally hitting the politician in the chest. Hours after the shooting, the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the attack.

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The suspects had been monitoring Mr. Siddique for months and conducting raids on his home and office, police said. Police revealed that the suspects had been paid 50,000 rupees each in advance for the attack and that weapons had been delivered to them only a few days before the attack.

Both arrested suspects are now in police custody and the hunt for the others continues. Mumbai Police has also increased security around Salman Khan's residence – the site where a shooting incident took place.

On the night of April 14, Mumbai's Bandra district was rocked by gunfire when two men on motorcycles fired several shots outside Mr. Khan's home. The accused, who are linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and other serious crimes.

According to the charge sheet, the Bishnoi gang had given a contract worth Rs 25 lakh to murder the actor. The plan was developed over several months, from August 2023 to April 2024.

Mr Siddique enjoyed camaraderie across party lines, which is why his murder drew widespread condemnation across the political spectrum. Senior politicians expressed their condolences while expressing outrage over the escalating violence in Maharashtra.

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was one of the first to react, calling Mr Siddique's murder “shocking beyond words”. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Kharge said, “The tragic death of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique is shocking beyond words. In this hour of grief, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and others.” Justice must be served and the current government of Maharashtra must order a thorough and transparent investigation.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi expressed similar views.

“The tragic death of Baba Siddique ji is shocking and sad. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. This horrific incident reveals the complete breakdown 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 sparked a political tussle between the BJP and the opposition parties. While the BJP has asked not to politicize the killing, the opposition, particularly the Congress, has alleged a “complete breakdown of law and order in Maharashtra”.