Police are investigating a social media post in which an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claims responsibility for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. The 66-year-old Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was shot dead on Saturday night near his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in the Kher Nagar area of Bandra, Mumbai.
According to authorities, three assailants intercepted Siddique before opening fire on him. He was immediately rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where doctors announced him dead.
The viral social media post, which surfaced shortly after the incident, claims that a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is behind the killing. A police official confirmed they are verifying the authenticity of the post. Notably, some members of the Bishnoi gang were previously apprehended in connection with the firing outside Bollywood star Salman Khan’s residence earlier this year.
Baba Siddique, a prominent political figure and Muslim leader in Mumbai, was well-known for his connections with Bollywood celebrities, including Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Sanjay Dutt. Given these ties and Siddique’s involvement in various high-profile projects, the Mumbai police are exploring several potential motives, including contract killing, business rivalry, or threats related to a slum rehabilitation project.
Authorities suspect the murder was a premeditated act. Following the incident, Siddique’s body was transferred from Lilavati Hospital to Cooper Hospital for an autopsy. After the postmortem, his remains were taken to his residence at Maqba Heights in Bandra, where friends, family, and supporters will be able to pay their final respects.
The burial is scheduled to take place at Bada Kabrastan in Marine Lines on Sunday night after Namaz-E-Isha, around 8:30 p.m. Security has been heightened outside Siddique’s home in anticipation of the large gathering.
The investigation continues, with police leaving no stone unturned in their search for the perpetrators.
(With PTI inputs)