Shiv Kumar Gautam, one of the shooters caught in the murder case of Baba Siddique, has confessed that Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang had planned to assassinate either NCP leader Baba Siddique or his son, Zeeshan Siddique. He told the Mumbai Police during his interrogation that Bishnoi’s gang had asked him to kill whichever of the two he came across first, as per his confession. This new information has a new dimension to the investigation of the high-profile murder case.
Surveillance and Execution of the Murder
Gautam said that he, along with two other gang members, thoroughly surveyed the movement of Baba Siddique in Mumbai. He noticed the daily routine and at an apt opportunity struck upon the victim Baba Siddique. On October 12, Siddique was shot dead by the gang. Taking advantage of the chaotic, disoriented atmosphere during the holiday season in the city, the murderers attacked him. The killer claimed that he covered himself by putting on different clothes and stayed in the crowd for sometime, observing the ruckus until the suspicion faded away. He stayed there for some time, allowed the bedlam to increase, and then disappeared from the scene unnoticed.
Escape and the Cover-Up
After committing the shooting was done, Gautam left the scene in haste. He jumped onto an auto rickshaw to the Kurla station, took a local train for Thane, and then trains from there to Pune. He remained there for a few days. After this adventure, Gautam disposed of his mobile phone so that the police would not track him down. He remained in the city of Pune for almost seven days before he traveled to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. He remained there for five days. Lucknow is where he arranged a new mobile phone in order to reestablish contact with his known circles as well as to double his efforts to leave the country.
Attempted Escape and Arrest of Gautam:
Gautam had planned to finally escape the country, but it was not destined to be. He had further planned to travel from Lucknow to Bahraich and thence travel to Vaishno Devi temple and thereafter to Nepal in the guise of performing pilgrims’ tour for escaping. However, before he could reach there, he was intercepted by Uttar Pradesh STF. His arrest finally arrested his planned escapade to Nepal, and Gautam is taken into custody.
Other Arrests and Aid in Escape
In addition to the arrest of Shiv Kumar Gautam, four others accused of facilitating his escape and its preparation have been detained. They include Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava, and Akhilesh Pratap Singh, who are accused of providing shelter to Gautam and also facilitating logistics for evading police action. Their involvement will be looked into as the police try to piece together the full extent of the conspiracy.
The Larger Conspiracy Behind Baba Siddique’s Murder
Shiv Kumar Gautam’s confession proved to be the smoking gun in the case, but above all, it brought to the surface the modus operandi and operations of Lawrence Bishnoi gang and its involvement in high-profile murders. The attempt on the life of Baba Siddique or his son Zeeshan reflects not only the deepening rivalries but also the criminal networks that seem to be working in the underworld. Now, the police are trying to further unravel the specifics of the gang’s activities and figure out the complete extent of the conspiracy behind the murder and which role other people played in its execution.
Conclusion and Ongoing Investigations
The arrest of Gautam and his confidants has revealed crucial information, but the case is still long way off from being finalized. Police are focusing on the linking of connections among the shooters, handlers, and the main criminal syndicate. As more arrests are reportedly at hand, it would ensure that the people behind the murder of Baba Siddique and his friends would be brought into the books. The case continues to expand, and authorities want all perpetrators to be brought to justice.
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