Mumbai: The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddiqui. The 66-year-old NCP leader was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddiqui’s office in Mumbai’s Bandra East last night.
According to the police, three shooters were involved in the murder. Two of the three have been arrested – 23-year-old Gurmel Baljit Singh from Haryana and 19-year-old Dharmaraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh – and the third has been identified as Shiv Kumar Gautam from UP. The fourth man, believed to be the handler of the murder, is also absconding.
In the incident that took place around 9.30 pm, Mr Siddiqui and his aide were targeted by the assailants who fired multiple rounds, leaving the politician with a bullet injury in his chest. Hours after the shootout, the notorious Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the killing through a social media post. Central agencies are now investigating the post, which is allegedly linked to the Facebook account of Shibu Lonkar, who, according to sources, could be Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, an aide of the Bishnoi gang.
Shubham Lonkar was arrested earlier this year from Akola in Maharashtra for possessing illegal weapons and is believed to have strong links with the Bishnoi network. During police interrogation, Shubham confessed to having spoken to Lawrence’s close brother Anmol Bishnoi through video calls, proving his connection with the notorious gang leader.
The investigation into Mr Siddiqui’s murder has also revealed that two of the shooters, Dharmaraj Kashyap and Shiv Kumar Gautam, are from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh. Both are neighbours and reportedly worked as labourers in Pune before turning to the criminal world. Bahraich Superintendent of Police (SP) Vrinda Shukla confirmed that Dharamraj has been arrested, while Shiv Kumar is still absconding. The two had no criminal record in their hometowns, but sources reveal that they wanted to gain notoriety by joining the Bishnoi gang, having reportedly formed a connection while in Punjab jail.
Police said the suspects had been tracking Mr Siddiqui for several months and were carrying out reconnaissance of his house and office. Police revealed that the suspects were paid an advance of Rs 50,000 each for the murder and were given weapons just a few days before the murder.
Both the arrested suspects are now in police custody and the search for the rest is on. Mumbai Police has also beefed up security around Salman Khan’s house – the place where the shootout took place.
On the night of April 14, the Bandra area of ​​Mumbai was rocked by the sound of gunfire when two men on a motorcycle fired multiple rounds outside Mr Khan’s home. The accused, linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, have been charged with conspiracy to murder and other serious offences.
According to the chargesheet, the Bishnoi gang had paid a contract killer of Rs 25 lakh to kill the actor. The plan was hatched over several months from August 2023 to April 2024.
Mr Siddiqui enjoyed comradeship across party lines, so his murder has drawn widespread condemnation across the political spectrum, with senior politicians expressing outrage at the escalating violence in Maharashtra and offering condolences.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was among the first to react, calling Mr Siddiqui’s murder “shocking beyond words”. In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Kharge said, “The tragic demise of former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddiqui is shocking beyond words. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and supporters. Justice must be ensured, and the current Maharashtra government must order a thorough and transparent investigation. The culprits must be punished at the earliest. Accountability is paramount.”
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also expressed similar sentiments.
“The tragic demise of Baba Siddiqui ji is shocking and saddening. My condolences are with his family in this difficult time. This horrific incident highlights the complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra. The government must take responsibility, and justice must be done,” Mr Gandhi wrote about his former colleague on X.
The murder has triggered a political tussle between the BJP and opposition parties. While the BJP has asked not to politicise the murder, the opposition, particularly the Congress, has claimed that “there has been a complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra”.
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