Lawrence Bishnoi gang claims responsibility for NCP leader Baba Siddique's murder

The 66-year-old NCP leader was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra East, Mumbai, last night.

Police said that three gunmen were involved in the attack, according to an NDTV report.

Two of them—Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana, and Dharamraj Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh—have been arrested. The third shooter, identified as Shiv Kumar Gautam from UP, is still at large, said the report.  Kashyap and Gautam are from Bahraich in UP.

The report said that the Bahraich police have said none of them had a criminal history but wanted to gain notoriety by associating with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. They had come in contact with the gang during their time in a Punjab jail.

Police are also searching for a fourth accused believed to be the mastermind behind the crime.

The attack occurred around 9:30 pm when assailants opened fire, targeting Mr. Siddique and his associate, with multiple bullets fatally hitting the politician in the chest. A few hours later, the infamous Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the assassination in a social media post.

Central agencies are now investigating the post, which is allegedly linked to a Facebook account under the name Shibu Lonkar.

Sources indicated this may actually be Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, an associate of the Bishnoi gang.

Shubham Lonkar was arrested earlier this year in Akola, Maharashtra, for illegal weapons possession and is believed to have strong ties to the Bishnoi network.

During questioning, Shubham admitted to having video call communications with Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi's brother, further connecting him to the gang leader.

The suspects had been tracking Siddique for several months, conducting surveillance on both his home and office, according to police.

Police revealed that each suspect received an advance payment of Rs 50,000 for the assassination, and were provided the firearms just days before the killing.

The two arrested suspects are currently in police custody, while the search for the remaining accused continues.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have also increased security around Salman Khan's residence, where a previous shooting incident occurred.

On the night of April 14, gunfire shook Mumbai's Bandra neighbourhood when two men on motorbikes fired multiple rounds outside Salman Khan's residence.

The attackers, linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, were charged with conspiracy to murder and other serious crimes.

According to the charge sheet, the Bishnoi gang had placed a Rs 25 lakh contract to kill the actor, with the plot unfolding over several months, from August 2023 to April 2024.

Leaders across party lines and celebrities have mourned the killing of Siddique, known for his camaraderie.

Politicians from all sides have condemned the act and expressed outrage over the rising violence in Maharashtra.