Suspects made 10 attempts to assassinate Baba Siddique: Report
The suspects in the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique had reportedly made over 10 unsuccessful attempts to assassinate him in the past month. A senior police officer revealed that they were unable to open fire due to various reasons, including Siddique's absence or his presence amidst a large crowd of supporters. The shooters were finally instructed to target Siddique near his son's office in Kherwadi, an open area.
Four arrests made in connection with Siddique's murder
The Mumbai Police have arrested four people in Siddique's murder. The latest arrest was of 24-year-old Harishkumar Nishad from Kaisarganj, Uttar Pradesh, who will be in police custody till October 21. Other arrested suspects include Gurmail Singh, Dharamraj Kashyap, and milk dairy owner Praveen Lonkar. Praveen's brother Shubham Lonkar, who connected the murder to Lawrence Bishnoi gang via a social media post, is still absconding.
Assassination plot and escape plan revealed
Reportedly, the assassination plot was hatched in Pune three months before the murder. The accused learned assassination techniques through YouTube videos and were paid a huge amount for killing Siddique. They had planned their escape by carrying extra shirts to change into after the shooting, intending to evade identification through CCTV footage and flee the city.
Police seize weapons, issue look-out circular
Police have seized three weapons used in the crime: an Australian Glock pistol, a Turkish pistol, and a country-made pistol. A look-out circular (LOC) has been issued against Shivkumar Gautam, the alleged shooter, and conspirators linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The LOC aims to prevent their escape from India. Gautam remains at large following the murder outside MLA Zeeshan Siddique's office.
