How Baba Siddique's Assassins Executed the Murder
Former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead in Bandra despite being under Y-category security protection. The murder, which has sent shockwaves across the state, was carried out with meticulous planning, including months of surveillance on Siddique’s movements
Baba Siddique
The involvement of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and the boldness of the attack, executed in a crowded area, have raised serious concerns. Here’s a look at the chilling conspiracy behind the murder, the shooters involved, and their criminal connections.
Surveillance and Planning
Months before the assassination, the accused—Dharmaraj Kashyap, Shivkumar Gautam, and Gurnail Singh—monitored Siddique’s activities closely. According to police reports, the trio conducted reconnaissance of Siddique’s residence and offices while staying in Mumbai for a month and a half to two months.
Room for Rent in Kurla
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi allegedly paid the shooters ₹50,000 in advance and promised an additional ₹2 lakh after the murder. A police source revealed that the suspects arrived in the city in early September and rented a room in Kurla, using funds allocated for expenses, including a monthly rent of ₹14,000.
Photos Provided of Baba Siddique
The police stated that Kashyap, Singh, and Gautam (all from Bahraich, UP) received photographs of Siddique for identification. The murder plot was reportedly hatched before September: Gautam fired six shots at Siddique, hitting him three times.
Capture of the Shooters
Initially mistaken for mobile thieves, the attackers fled through a Durga Puja procession after shooting Siddique near his son’s office in Bandra. They incapacitated Siddique’s police guard with pepper spray and escaped to a nearby park. Police, responding to wireless alerts, surrounded the area and detained two suspects: Kashyap was caught trying to scale a wall, while Singh surrendered after discarding his weapon. Gautam remains at large.
Pepper Spray and Security Flaws
The attack took place around 9:30 PM in front of Zeeshan, Siddique’s son’s office. Despite having a police guard, the attackers capitalised on the noise from fireworks and the crowd. The police guard, incapacitated by the pepper spray, could not intervene.
A Nirmal Nagar police source commented, “Siddique had three policemen assigned to him for some time, two during the day and one at night. He has not reported any threats or concerns to us recently. The attackers appear to have exploited the fireworks and the crowd on the street.”
Police Action
From the arrested suspects, police recovered two Glock automatic pistols, four magazines loaded with 28 bullets, four mobile phones, Aadhaar cards, and a bag.
Bishnoi: Allegations of Links with Dawood
Shubham Lonkar, an Akola resident previously arrested for illegal firearm possession, posted on social media claiming that Siddique was targeted due to his alleged connections with actor Salman Khan and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
