Shooter and two accused in Baba Siddique’s murder arrested in UP; Mumbai Police probe expands

In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF), apprehended Shiva Kumar, the alleged shooter responsible for the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique, along with two other suspects in Uttar Pradesh. The suspects are currently being transferred to Mumbai for further interrogation.

Baba Siddique, a prominent political figure, was fatally shot on October 12 near his son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra, Mumbai. According to eyewitnesses, three gunmen approached him, firing multiple shots, two of which struck him in the chest. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was declared dead shortly after arrival.

This recent development follows the arrest of another shooter, Gaurav Vilas Apune, by the Mumbai Police last Friday. Apune is believed to be part of a contingency operation, referred to as "Plan B," orchestrated by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. According to investigation sources, the gang, led by notorious criminal Shubham Lonkar, had devised Plan B as a backup strategy should the initial attempt to assassinate Siddique fail. Apune reportedly traveled to Jharkhand alongside another accused, Rupesh Mohol, to sharpen his shooting skills as part of the elaborate plan.

Further investigations have revealed that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol Bishnoi, is alleged to be the primary architect behind Siddique’s assassination. Intelligence gathered indicates that the gang had promised the hired shooters lucrative rewards, including ₹25 lakh in cash, a luxury car, and an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai, to carry out the murder.

Law enforcement officials have also uncovered that Siddique was not the only target on the gang’s list. During a press briefing on Saturday, the Mumbai Police disclosed that a prominent leader from Pune was also in the gang’s crosshairs, with preparations underway to deploy the same team of shooters who were involved in Siddique’s killing. A recovered pistol, allegedly intended for use in the Pune operation, has been sent for forensic analysis.

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