North News
Mumbai, October 13
Multiple theories have emerged in the aftermath of the murder of Baba Siddique, a three-time MLA and former Maharashtra minister. One of the primary theories points to the involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The investigation gained traction following a social media post by a gang associate, which claimed responsibility for the murder and issued threats against anyone supporting Bollywood actor Salman Khan, warning they could be next.
In the post, the gang accused Siddique of being linked to Dawood Ibrahim, India’s most-wanted terrorist, and suggested that his murder was connected to the death of Anuj Thapan. Thapan was an arrested suspect in a shooting outside Khan’s residence earlier this year and died in police custody. The gang emphasized Siddique’s connections to Bollywood, politics, and property dealings, asserting that his involvement in the Thapan incident contributed to his assassination.
Siddique was killed in Bandra East near the office of his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique, on Saturday. According to police, three assailants ambushed him, using the noise of firecrackers as cover to open fire. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
Mumbai Police have arrested two suspects, Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana, and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh, while another suspect, Shiv Kumar, remains at large. A fourth accused, identified as Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar, has also been named by police, as per the media reports.
Mumbai Police suspect that Siddique’s murder was a contract killing that was premeditated, with payments made in advance. Investigators believe the shooters received their weapons just days before the attack and are now focused on tracking down the mastermind behind the plot.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has a history of targeting Salman Khan, with the most recent incident occurring in April, when two men on a motorcycle opened fire outside the actor’s Mumbai residence.
In their social media post, the gang warned that anyone supporting Salman Khan or Dawood Ibrahim’s circle should be prepared for retaliation. “We never strike first,” the post stated, including slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Bharat,” along with a tribute to their “martyrs.” Mumbai Police has so far not officially confirmed any involvement of the Bishnoi gang to the media. According to sources, in addition to the Bishnoi connection, the police are also investigating the possibility of the murder being linked to a property dispute or a political motive.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned the killing and pledged strict action against those responsible, asserting that the state would not tolerate such acts of lawlessness
