Siddique had non-categorised security: Police

One police constable was guarding former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique when he was fatally shot the day before, a Mumbai Police officer said on Sunday, adding two pistols and 28 live cartridges were recovered from the two accused.

The police are also verifying a social media post in which an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has taken up the responsibility for the murder of the NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader.

The 66-year-old former minister was waylaid by three persons at Kher Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office and shot at on Saturday night. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead.

“The police have formed 15 teams which are fanned out of Maharashtra and investigation is on to identify who provided logistical support to the shooters. Two pistols and 28 live rounds were recovered from the accused,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime branch) Datta Nalawade. On whether Siddique had Y-level security as was initially reported, Nalawade clarified the former minister was provided a non-categorised security and was allotted three police constables. “These constables worked in three shifts. At the time of the incident (on Saturday night), one policeman was accompanying Siddique,” Nalawade told a press conference.

The police have so far arrested two persons. The involvement of more persons is suspected. Speaking on the investigation, the DCP said 15 teams had been set up which were working out of Maharashtra. “We are also taking help from the local police to ascertain who provided logistical support to the shooters. The crime branch is trying to identify the location where the assailants had stayed after arriving in Mumbai and who helped them,” he said. “After the shooting incident, Assistant Police Inspector Rajendra Dhabade and a constable nabbed both shooters,” he added.