Mumbai — Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead by three men in Mumbai’s Bandra area on Saturday, and two of the assailants have been since arrested, officials said.
The shocking incident prompted the Opposition to question the law and order situation in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held next month.
Siddique (66), a former Congressman, was admitted at the Lilavati Hospital but succumbed to the injuries.
He was attacked outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddiqui’s office near Colgate ground in Nirmal Nagar, Bandra East, police said.
Baba Siddique had represented Bandra (West) seat three times in the assembly. A prominent Muslim leader from Mumbai, Siddique was also known be close to several Bollywood stars.
In a condolence message on X, deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar described the attack as extremely unfortunate and condemnable.
“I was shocked on learning that he died in this incident,” Pawar said, adding that he had lost a good friend and colleague.
“We have lost a leader who fought for the minority community and secularism,” he said, adding that a thorough probe would be conducted into the attack.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said earlier that Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar had told him that two alleged shooters have been taken into custody.
One of them is from Uttar Pradesh and the other from Haryana, while a third accused fled from the spot, the CM told TV channels.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, arrived at Lilavati Hospital some time after the incident.
Siddiqui had joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP only this year.
NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar said the deteriorating law and order situation was worrying. It was also alarming that the situation was being handled so lightly, Pawar said as he targeted Home Minister Fadnavis.
The ruling party should take responsibly and quit, the senior Pawar said in his post on X.
Balasaheb Thorat, leader of the Congress legislature party in Maharashtra assembly, said a leader from the ruling party with Y-category security was shot dead, which raises serious questions on the law and order situation.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said the murder was shocking.
“This, sadly, reflects on the law and order situation in Maharashtra. The complete collapse of administration, law and order,” Thackeray said.
NCP working president Praful Patel, a close friend of Siddiqui, said he was at a loss for words.
BJP leader and former Congressman Ashok Chavan said he had worked with Siddiqui when both were in the grand old party, adding the news was shocking.
In a post on X, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, the party’s in-charge for Maharashtra, said he was deeply shocked at the death of a “dear friend from my Youth Congress days”. — (PTI)
