North News
Mumbai, October 14
Two days after the murder of former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique, Mumbai Police are intensifying their search for two suspects, including the alleged mastermind, Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar. While three individuals have been arrested, Akhtar and another accomplice remain at large. The assailants, identified as Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap, 19, and Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, were captured at the crime scene shortly after the shooting. A third suspect, Pravin Lonkar, 28, was detained after his brother, Shubham, posted on social media claiming responsibility for the murder on behalf of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The remaining suspects, known only as Shiv, and Akhtar are still evading police, as per the media reports.
Siddique, a three-time MLA and a prominent figure in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was shot dead in the Bandra area of Mumbai on October 12. Police reported that he was ambushed around 9:15 pm by three assailants who took advantage of the Dussehra fireworks to open fire. A total of six rounds were discharged, two of which struck the 66-year-old former minister in the chest. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang publicly claimed responsibility for the killing in a social media post, which also included threats against anyone supporting Bollywood actor Salman Khan. In their post, the gang accused Siddique of having ties to Dawood Ibrahim, India’s most-wanted terrorist, and implied that his murder was linked to the recent death of Anuj Thapan. Thapan was an arrested suspect in a shooting outside Khan’s residence earlier this year and died while in police custody.
Investigators suspect that Siddique’s murder was a premeditated contract killing, with payments allegedly made in advance. Police believe that the shooters acquired their weapons shortly before the attack and are now focused on locating Akhtar and the other suspect.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has a history of targeting Salman Khan, with the most recent incident occurring in April, when assailants opened fire outside the actor’s home. In their social media statement, the gang warned that anyone affiliated with Salman Khan or Dawood Ibrahim should expect retaliation, declaring, “We never strike first,” alongside slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Bharat,” along with tributes to their “martyrs.”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned Siddique’s murder and pledged strict action against those responsible, emphasizing that the state would not tolerate acts of lawlessness.
