The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the assassination of Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister. The 66-year-old NCP politician was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Mumbai’s Bandra East last night.
According to the authorities, the murder was carried out by three gunmen. Two of the three have been arrested: Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana, and Dharamraj Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh, while the third has been identified as Shiv Kumar Gautam, also from Uttar Pradesh. A fourth person, suspected to be the handler, is also on the run.
The incident, which unfolded around 9:30 pm, saw Mr Siddique and his associate targeted by assailants who fired multiple rounds, fatally striking the politician in the chest. Hours after the shooting, the notorious Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the assassination through a social media post. Central agencies are now investigating the post, reportedly linked to a Facebook account belonging to Shubuu Lonkar, who, sources suggest, may actually be Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar – an associate of the Bishnoi gang.
Shubham Lonkar was arrested earlier this year from Maharashtra’s Akola for possession of illegal weapons and is believed to have strong connections with the Bishnoi network. During police interrogation, Shubham confessed to communicating with Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence’s close brother, through video calls, linking him to the notorious gang leader.
The investigation into Mr Siddiqui’s murder has also revealed that two of the shooters, Dharamraj Kashyap and Shiv Kumar Gautam, hail from Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich. Both are neighbours and reportedly worked as labourers in Pune before being lured into the criminal underworld. Bahraich Superintendent of Police (SP) Vrinda Shukla confirmed that while Dharamraj has been arrested, Shiv Kumar remains on the run. Neither had a criminal record in their hometown, but sources indicate they aimed to gain notoriety by associating with the Bishnoi gang, a connection allegedly forged during their time in a Punjab jail.
The suspects had been monitoring Mr Siddique for months, conducting reconnaissance of his residence and office, police said. The police revealed that the suspects had been paid ₹ 50,000 each in advance for the hit and that arms had been delivered to them only days before the assassination.
Both arrested suspects are now in police custody, and the hunt for the others continues. Mumbai Police have also heightened the security around Salman Khan’s residence – the site at which a shooting incident took place.
On the night of April 14, Mumbai’s Bandra neighbourhood was rocked by the sound of gunfire as two men on motorbikes fired multiple rounds outside Mr Khan’s residence. The accused, associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, were charged with conspiracy to murder and other grave offences.
According to the charge sheet, the Bishnoi gang had issued a contract worth ₹ 25 lakh to assassinate the actor. The plan was hatched over several months, from August 2023 to April 2024.
Mr Siddique enjoyed comradeship across party lines, therefore, his killing has drawn widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, with senior politicians offering condolences while expressing outrage over the escalating violence in Maharashtra.
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Source: NDTV
