Baba Siddique, a prominent NCP leader, was shot by three gunmen in Mumbai’s Bandra area on Saturday night. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital but was declared dead due to severe blood loss and gunshot wounds.

A forensic team collected samples from the crime spot, and police are examining CCTV footage from nearby areas to gather more information about the attackers.

The assailants took advantage of the noise from firecrackers during a Durga Visarjan procession, firing at Siddique with a 9.9 mm pistol, which has since been recovered by the police.

Two suspects, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, have been taken into custody. The police are actively searching for a third suspect who fled the scene.

Baba Siddique's assassination is the first high-profile political murder in Mumbai in three decades, raising concerns ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured the public that the police will take stringent action against the perpetrators and prevent any resurgence of gang wars in Mumbai.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar expressed shock over Siddique’s murder, calling him a champion of secularism and a fighter for the minority community. He pledged a thorough investigation into the incident.