An Indian politician, Baba Siddique, has been tragically shot dead in Mumbai, the commercial capital of India. The incident occurred near the office of his son, who is also a politician, as reported by local media. Siddique, aged 66, was a prominent figure in Maharashtra state politics and had previously served as a local minister. He was known for his lavish parties and close connections with Bollywood superstars.
In February, Siddique made headlines by defecting from Congress, India’s main opposition party, to join the National Congress Party (NCP), a regional party that is part of the governing coalition with the BJP. This move was seen as significant given the upcoming legislative polls in Maharashtra next month.
The shooting took place despite heightened security measures due to a major Hindu festival in the city. Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, who is from the same party as Siddique, expressed his shock and condemned the attack as “cowardly.” Opposition parties have criticized the government, alleging a major lapse in security, and have called for a thorough investigation.
Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing, but the motive remains unclear. Police are actively searching for a third suspect. Some Indian media outlets have reported that the suspects claimed to be affiliated with a gang led by notorious criminal Lawrence Bishnoi. Bishnoi is currently serving a jail sentence for his involvement in several high-profile murder cases, including the killing of Indian rapper Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022.
The shooting occurred just weeks after Siddique’s security detail was upgraded following death threats, adding another layer of complexity to the investigation.