Baba Siddique, the former minister of Maharashtra and leader of the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), died after he was shot in the Bandra area of Mumbai.
It is reported that the attack was carried out around 9:30 PM on Saturday in front of the office of Siddique’s son, Zeeshan, who is the MLA for Bandra East. According to eyewitnesses, the shooters fired six bullets. Two people have been arrested subsequent to the attack.
How is the patient? Has he been hospitalised
Siddique was taken to the Lilavati Hospital where it was found that four bullets had hit the 66-year-old NCP leader. Furthermore, one of his assistants was also reported to have been hit by a bullet. The killing happened on Dussehra and time is just months away from Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled for later this year.
Govt Response
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he has spoken with police and Lilavati hospital staff. Very sad incident is reported. Mr. Siddique is dead, according to reports. Two miscreants arrested from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana respectively. The third one is on the run. I have asked the police to take strict measures so that there is no further deterioration of law and order in Mumbai,” he said in Marathi.
The Deputy Chief Minister, Home department, Devendra Fadnavis, visited the hospital in order to see what was happening and what had developed. Another Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, said how shocked he was at having lost such a valuable colleague and friend.
Political Background
Three-time MLA Siddique, who was associated with the Congress party for 48 years before he quit in February to join Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP. His son Zeeshan Siddique was also expelled from Congress in August.
NCP spokesperson Brijmohan Shrivastav said that he was shocked by the killing. “He never complained about any threat,” added Mr. Siddique.
Legacy and Notable Events
Baba Siddique had a good political career himself: He was twice an MLA-eleected in 1999, 2004, and 2009. From 2004 till 2008, he was the minister of state for food and civil supplies, labour, and FDA. Apart from his political influence, he was also infamous for his high-profile parties. It was his ‘iftar’ party in 2013 that ended the feud between Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan.
Mumbai attack raises questions on law and order in the city- issues about law and order are raised by the attack in Mumbai, especially when politicians holding Y-category security are involved. The opposition leaders have called the government to make officials responsible.
An alarming law and order situation prevails in the state. It is very unfortunate that Baba Siddique was murdered in Mumbai, India’s financial capital. If the Home Minister and the government continue with such lawlessness, it will be a warning signal for ordinary citizens. This situation requires investigation, and those in power must take responsibility and resign, Pawar said in Marathi.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that the incident highlights the connivance of criminal elements by the government. “The murder of a former minister who had high-level Y-level security is tragic and shocking. It reflects the fall of safety in the state of Maharashtra, which was once peaceful,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in a tweet on his social media account, assured that the incident will be thoroughly probed. The attackers would be dealt with severely.
Also Read: Tamil Nadu Train Collision: 19 Injured, No Fatalities as 12 Coaches Derail
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