Baba Siddique, a prominent figure in Maharashtra's government, was fatally shot in Mumbai, echoing the city's violent history with political and celebrity assassinations.
Mumbai Political Murder Sparks National Outcry
Mumbai Political Murder Sparks National Outcry
The shocking assassination of Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique reignites fears of Mumbai's past underworld.
The assassination of Baba Ziauddin Siddique, a 66-year-old influential politician, has sent tremors through India. He was killed on Saturday night in a bustling Mumbai neighborhood, outside his son's office. After being shot multiple times, Siddique succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, leaving the nation in shock and igniting political tension. While the motive for the murder remains unclear, the incident echoes Mumbai's 1990s underworld that frequently targeted public figures.
Born in Bihar, Siddique moved to Mumbai as a child and embarked on his political journey in the 1980s with the Congress party. Rising through the ranks, he served as a state legislator and minister. In February, he left Congress to join the Nationalist Congress Party, part of the coalition governing Maharashtra with the BJP and Shiv Sena. Siddique was also known for his high-profile iftar parties attended by Bollywood's elite, including the likes of Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan.
The attack occurred in the Bandra area, where three assailants fired numerous rounds at Siddique, injuring a bystander as well. Police apprehended three suspects linked to a notorious gang whose leader, Lawrence Bishnoi, operates from prison. While communication implicating the gang in Siddique's murder surfaced on social media, involving Bishnoi remains unconfirmed by authorities.
This has rekindled concerns about ongoing criminal influence in the city. The murder is the first high-profile political assassination in Mumbai since the 1990s, leading to a political blame game as Maharashtra approaches assembly elections. With Siddique's recent death threat still fresh, opposition parties criticize the government’s failure to protect him. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that justice will be served, regardless of the perpetrators' affiliations. This tragedy not only jeopardizes political stability in Maharashtra but also revives fears of violence that many hoped had been left in the past.
Born in Bihar, Siddique moved to Mumbai as a child and embarked on his political journey in the 1980s with the Congress party. Rising through the ranks, he served as a state legislator and minister. In February, he left Congress to join the Nationalist Congress Party, part of the coalition governing Maharashtra with the BJP and Shiv Sena. Siddique was also known for his high-profile iftar parties attended by Bollywood's elite, including the likes of Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan.
The attack occurred in the Bandra area, where three assailants fired numerous rounds at Siddique, injuring a bystander as well. Police apprehended three suspects linked to a notorious gang whose leader, Lawrence Bishnoi, operates from prison. While communication implicating the gang in Siddique's murder surfaced on social media, involving Bishnoi remains unconfirmed by authorities.
This has rekindled concerns about ongoing criminal influence in the city. The murder is the first high-profile political assassination in Mumbai since the 1990s, leading to a political blame game as Maharashtra approaches assembly elections. With Siddique's recent death threat still fresh, opposition parties criticize the government’s failure to protect him. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that justice will be served, regardless of the perpetrators' affiliations. This tragedy not only jeopardizes political stability in Maharashtra but also revives fears of violence that many hoped had been left in the past.
