A team from the Mumbai Police has arrested the third accused in the murder case of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique. The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Pravin Lonkar, was apprehended in Pune and is believed to be a key conspirator in the plot, having allegedly hired shooters Dharmaraj Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam, the latter of whom remains at large.
So far, two of the three shooters involved in Siddique’s killing have been arrested and brought before the court. Gurmail Singh and Dharmaraj Kashyap were remanded to police custody until October 21. Investigations continue as Mumbai Police pursue leads to locate the remaining absconding shooter.
The incident occurred outside Siddique’s son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Bandra, where the 66-year-old politician was ambushed by three assailants during the Dussehra celebrations. The attack took place on a busy road, raising concerns about law and order in Maharashtra, especially as police were on high alert at the time. Siddique was rushed to Lilavati Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The shocking murder has led to demands for a CBI investigation, with Congress leader Rashid Alvi calling for a thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Siddique’s death.
In response to the murder, Mumbai Police have deployed 15 teams across the state to track down those who may have provided logistical support to the shooters. During the investigation, police recovered two pistols and 28 live rounds from the two arrested suspects. Reports indicate that six shots were fired at Siddique, three of which struck him in the chest.
The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover more details about this high-profile case.
