Minutes after NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead in Mumbai’s Bandra East on Saturday evening, images surfaced of the three individuals suspected of opening fire on him.
Siddique, 66, a former Congressman and Maharashtra minister, was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was declared dead. Earlier this year, in February, he had joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The Mumbai Police arrested two of the three suspects, who are currently being interrogated. One of the suspects is from Uttar Pradesh, while the other is from Haryana. The third suspect remains at large, and efforts are ongoing to locate him. The investigation has now been handed over to the Crime Branch.
Attacked while in car
Visuals of Siddique’s car, which show bullet marks, have also emerged. According to reports, Siddique was inside his car when the three individuals opened fire, resulting in his death.
The incident occurred outside the office of his son, Zeeshan Siddique, near Colgate Ground in Nirmal Nagar. Zeeshan, who is an MLA from Bandra East, belongs to the Congress party.
Meanwhile, the police have formed five teams to handle the investigation. Reports quoting the Mumbai Police have indicated that they will also look into a possible connection to the Boshnoi gang. The weapon used in the shooting was a 9.9 mm pistol, pointing to the likelihood of a contract killing.
Opposition criticizes Maharashtra government
The opposition strongly criticized the Maharashtra government for the deteriorating law and order situation following the killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique, who was shot outside his son’s office in Mumbai on Saturday evening. Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder, while a third suspect remains at large.
Opposition leaders called for the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, questioning how the government could protect ordinary citizens if they were unable to safeguard a political figure with ‘Y’ category security.
NCP (SP) chief urges government to take responsibility on Baba Siddique
Responding to the news of Siddique’s death, the former chief minister and NCP (SP) chief urged the current government to take responsibility for the assassination and resign. He expressed concern over the collapsing law and order in the state, noting that the killing of a former state minister in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, was a serious matter. He warned that if the Home Minister and government continued to govern ineffectively, it would signal danger for the general public.
Shiv Sena (UBT) questiones Mahayuti government on Baba Siddique death
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also questioned how the Mahayuti government could ensure the safety of ordinary people when they couldn’t protect a member of their own alliance. She raised concerns about the state of law and order in Mumbai, pointing out that if a protected individual could be murdered so easily, it would affect the public’s sense of security.
Congress leader KC Venugopal calls Baba Siddique death a significant loss
Congress leader KC Venugopal called Siddique’s death a significant loss for Maharashtra and criticized the Eknath Shinde-led government, asserting that the incident demonstrated that criminals no longer feared the law in the state. He remarked that Siddique had alerted authorities multiple times about threats to his life, yet was killed despite being under Y-plus security. The fact that the murder occurred in a busy area, he said, indicated a lack of fear among criminals.
Read More: How Opposition Reacted To Death Of Baba Siddique?
