Baba Siddique, a 66-year-old Indian politician, was shot dead in Mumbai near his son’s office, who is also a politician. According to local media, gunmen opened fire, killing the former minister.
Police have arrested two people in connection with the shooting, while a third suspect is still being searched for. The motive behind the killing is still unclear.
Siddique, a key figure in Maharashtra state politics, recently switched from Congress, India’s main opposition party, to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is part of the ruling coalition with the BJP. Maharashtra is set to hold legislative elections next month.
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister and a member of Siddique’s party, expressed shock over the “cowardly attack.” The incident occurred despite heightened security due to a major Hindu festival in the city.
Opposition parties criticized the government for the security lapse, calling for a thorough investigation. The state has promised a complete inquiry into the incident.
Some media reports suggest the suspects are linked to a gang led by notorious criminal Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in jail. Bishnoi has been connected to several high-profile crimes, including the 2022 murder of rapper Sidhu Moose Wala.
Just weeks before the shooting, Siddique’s security detail was upgraded after he received death threats.
