Sun Oct 13 04:02:10 UTC 2024: ## Former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique Shot Dead in Targeted Attack in Mumbai
**MUMBAI, INDIA** – Former Maharashtra minister and influential figure Baba Siddique was shot dead in a targeted attack in Mumbai on Saturday night. The 66-year-old politician was shot multiple times near his son’s office in Bandra East around 9:30 PM.
Two suspects, Karnail Singh from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh, have been arrested and claim allegiance to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, although the gang has not officially claimed responsibility for the murder. The third suspect remains at large.
Police are investigating the motive behind the murder from two angles: Siddique’s involvement in a slum rehabilitation case and his association with Bollywood star Salman Khan, who had previously received threats from the Bishnoi gang. While Siddique had been placed under ‘Y’ category security following an alleged death threat, he had not reported any threats before the attack.
The gunmen, who had reportedly been monitoring Siddique for a month, arrived in an auto-rickshaw and opened fire as he approached his son’s office. A close aide of Siddique was also injured in the attack.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed shock at the incident, calling it a serious blow to law and order and urging strict action against those responsible. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured a thorough investigation.
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is coordinating with central and state police forces to apprehend the third suspect and delve deeper into the case.
While Siddique’s association with Salman Khan is being investigated as a possible motive, the extent of the connection between the Bishnoi gang and the murder remains under scrutiny.
First Piper 