Siddique killing: Police probing role of Bishnoi gang, 15 teams fanned out to trace accused

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

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 NCP leader 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 the Lilavati Hospital where he was declared dead.

“Police have set up 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.

He clarified that Siddique was provided a non-categorised security and was allotted three police constables.

“These constables work in three shifts. At the time of the incident (on Saturday night), one policeman was accompanying Siddique,” Nalawade told a press conference.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said police have found some leads in connection with the killing of Siddique and different angles are being probed.

“A team of Mumbai Police in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh police is looking for the accused (who hails from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh). They suspect he might be hiding in MP and searching him in Ujjain district and Omkareshwar (in Khandwa district) of MP,” a police officer told PTI.

Police have arrested two of the alleged assailants, identified as Haryana resident Gurmail Baljit Singh (23) and an Uttar Pradesh native, while another accused is on the run and efforts are on to trace him, as per officials. The involvement of more persons is suspected.

Police told the court they wanted to probe if the murder was a fallout of a political rivalry since Maharashtra Assembly polls are around the corner.

The court remanded Singh in police custody till October 21, while a bone ossification test was ordered on the other accused to determine his age after he claimed to be a minor.

According to the police, the duo had stayed in Mumbai and Pune for a few days before the firing incident underlining the need to find out who was funding them.

Speaking on the investigation, the DCP said 15 teams have been set up which are working out of Maharashtra. We are also taking help from the local police to ascertain who provided logistical support to the accused shooters.

“After the shooting incident, Assistant Police Inspector Rajendra Dhabade and a constable nabbed both shooters,” he added.