NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique died in hospital after being shot by three men in Mumbai's Bandra East area on Saturday night.
Who was Baba Siddique?
Baba Siddique joined the Congress party as a teenager and served three terms as an MLA from Mumbai’s Bandra West constituency. After 48 years with the party, he left Congress and joined Ajit Pawar's NCP in February 2023.
"I joined the Indian National Congress party as a young teenager, and it has been a significant journey lasting 48 years. Today I resign from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress Party @INCIndia with immediate effect," he wrote in an X post at the time.
READ MORE- Who Was Baba Siddique, Ex Maharashtra Minister, Shot Dead In Mumbai
What We Know So Far?
Mumbai Police has arrested two persons for allegedly being involved in the killing of Baba Siddique. One is from UP, other from Haryana. Third assailant is absconding but police are trying to nab him.
According to reports, a 9.9 mm pistol was used in the shooting, hinting at a possible contract killing.
While the motive remains under investigation, sources told that a potential link to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is being probed due to Siddique's close ties with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. Apart from the Bishnoi gang angle, police are also reportedly investigating a dispute related to Siddique and a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project.
ALSO READ- ‘Despite Y-Level Security’: Politicians In Shock After Baba Siddique Shot Dead In Mumbai
Bishnoi's gang has allegedly targeted Khan since his involvement in the 1999 Blackbuck poaching case. In April, shots were fired outside Khan's Mumbai residence, with the actor informing authorities that Bishnoi was responsible, following several threats directed at him and his family.