Brief
The tragic murder of Baba Siddique, a prominent NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister, is being treated by Mumbai police as a meticulously orchestrated act, raising suspicions of a sinister premeditation. Law enforcement officials revealed on Sunday that the crime branch has embarked on an extensive investigation, exploring various angles, including potential contract killing, fierce business rivalries, or even conflict arising from a slum rehabilitation initiative.
Currently, two alleged assailants have been apprehended, while a third remains elusive, with police intensifying their search efforts to locate him. The arrested suspects have been identified as Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, hailing from Haryana, and 19-year-old Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap, from Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have initiated legal proceedings against all three individuals, invoking pertinent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with stipulations from the Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act.
The violent episode unfolded when Siddique, aged 66, was ambushed by three assailants in the vicinity of Kher Nagar, situated just outside the office of his MLA son, Zeeshan Siddique. After suffering gunshot wounds, he was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
In the aftermath of this shocking event, forensic teams scoured the crime scene for crucial evidence, meticulously collecting samples as police sift through CCTV footage from nearby locations in pursuit of answers to this brazen attack. Reports indicate that the gunmen discharged four to five rounds from a 9.9 MM pistol, which has since been recovered by investigators.
To bolster the inquiry, multiple teams have been mobilized by Mumbai police, with some dispatched beyond the state’s borders in a determined bid to capture the remaining fugitive. The investigation unfolds against a backdrop of tension and uncertainty, leaving the community reeling from the implications of this brazen act of violence.
