Baba Siddique shot dead: Mumbai Police arrest third accused, on lookout for another who is connected to Bishnoi gang

Zeeshan Akhtar

Mumbai Police have arrested the third accused in the Baba Siddique murder case from Pune. He has been identified as 28-year-old Pravin Lonkar. According to the police, Lonkar and his brother Shubham enlisted the minor and Shivkumar Gautam to commit the murder. Further investigation is underway.

While the minor was arrested on Saturday itself, Gautam is on the run and Shubham was nabbed earlier for the illegal possession of weapons. According to the police, Shubham is connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

Meanwhile, the police have identified the fourth accused in the Baba Siddiqui murder case as Zeeshan Akhtar, a resident of Shakar village in the Nakodar area of Jalandhar, Punjab.

Akhtar was earlier apprehended by the police in Jalandhar and has a criminal history, cops said.

According to sources, Akhtar is also connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Sources said Akhtar came in contact with the gang when he was in Patiala Jail in connection with a murder and robbery case in 2022. Following his release from the jail on June 7, Akhtar is believed to have traveled to Mumbai. According to police sources, Akhtar first visited the house of one of the arrested accused, Gurmail Singh, in Kaithal, Haryana. Soon after receiving orders, the shooters, including Akhtar, left for Mumbai to carry out their mission. It is suspected that all the accused were staying together in Mumbai during the planning and execution of the crime. The police believe that Akhtar is hiding somewhere in Mumbai, and efforts to locate him are underway.

The Delhi Police's Special Cell has also dispatched a special investigation team to Mumbai to assist with the inquiry.

Baba Siddique shot dead: Three bullets hit the NCP leader

Two shooters hailing from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, respectively, were held by the Mumbai Police on Saturday night as the cops intensified probe after Baba Siddique was shot dead in Mumbai.

Three bike-borne assailants fired with a 9mm pistol at senior NCP leader and former Congress legislator Baba Siddiqui near his office at Kherwadi Junction, officers said.

According to sources, Baba Siddique was hit by three bullets, two of which struck his chest, leading to his death.

"The incident occurred around 9.30 pm, and he was rushed to the hospital. The Mumbai Crime Branch is conducting further investigations," said Paramjit Singh Dahiya, Additional Commissioner, West Region.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique, who was shot dead in Mumbai, will be cremated with full state honours. Siddique, a former minister in the Maharashtra government (2004-2008) and chairman of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), will receive this honour in recognition of his public service, reported ANI.