Sat Oct 12 18:20:00 UTC 2024: ## Former Minister and Ajit Pawar Ally Baba Siddiqui Shot Dead in Mumbai
**Mumbai, October 13, 2024:** Former Minister and prominent leader of the Ajit Pawar faction, Baba Siddiqui, was shot dead on Saturday night in Mumbai’s Bandra East area. The incident occurred outside the office of his son, A. Zishan, where Siddiqui was attending a gathering.
Three assailants opened fire on Siddiqui, hitting him in the chest. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Siddiqui is survived by his wife and two children.
Police have apprehended two of the shooters, while the search for the third is ongoing. An associate of the assailants was also injured in the incident.
Following the shooting, several prominent figures including Zishan, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, actor Sanjay Dutt, and Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar rushed to the hospital. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also inquired about the incident.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers gathered outside the hospital in large numbers. While Siddiqui had attended a function on Friday evening, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare said he had not reported any threats to his life.
**Law and Order Concerns**
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned the incident, urging everyone to maintain calm and not resort to violence. He confirmed that the police have apprehended two of the assailants, one from Haryana and the other from Uttar Pradesh.
**Possible Links to Lawrence Bishnoi Gang**
Siddiqui was a close friend of actor Salman Khan, raising speculation about a possible connection to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Police are investigating this angle.
**Recent Shootings in Mumbai**
The incident is the latest in a string of shootings in Mumbai, including:
* BJP MLA Ganpat Gायकवाड firing at Kalyan police station.
* Former Shiv Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar shot dead in his office.
* Shots fired at Salman Khan’s residence by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
* Police shooting of Akshay Shinde, leading to his death.
* Attack on Ajit Pawar faction leader Sachin Munna Kurmi, resulting in his death.
**Siddiqui’s Political Journey**
Siddiqui was elected as a corporator in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation in 1993 and 1998. He later contested and won the Assembly elections from Bandra West in 1999. In 2000, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Mumbai Housing and Development Board (MHADA). He served as the Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Labour in 2004.
In 2014, he was appointed as the Mumbai Pradesh President of the Congress. He was later included in the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee’s Parliamentary Board in 2019. However, on February 8th, 2024, he joined the Ajit Pawar faction, leaving the Congress.
The investigation into Baba Siddiqui’s murder is ongoing.
First Piper 