Mumbai, October 12 (IANS). Baba Ziauddin Siddiqui, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), an ally in the Maharashtra government, was shot dead near Nirmal Nagar in Bandra East on Saturday.
According to information, at least two-three people ambushed him outside his office. As soon as he reached the office, the attackers came running and fired several rounds indiscriminately at businessman-cum-politician Siddiqui. He was hit by two-three bullets, one of which hit the chest.
A colleague standing nearby was also shot in the leg. The incident occurred around 9.30 pm. The attackers shot and fled from the spot.
Initially people did not pay much attention to it because due to burning of effigies at various places, the sound of bullets got lost in the sounds of firecrackers. As soon as some people realized that firing had taken place, his colleagues and others rushed him to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra West, but by then he was dead.
As soon as the information was received, leaders of NCP, Congress and Mahayuti and a large number of their supporters reached the hospital. His Congress MLA son Zeeshan B. Siddiqui, his close friend and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, among others, also reached the hospital.
According to a police officer, two people were detained from Andheri East soon after the shooting and further investigation by the crime branch is underway.
Although the motive behind the murder of Siddiqui, an influential and prominent minority community leader, is not clear, it is tentatively suspected to be a result of business rivalry.
A veteran Congress leader for decades and a close aide of former Union minister Sunil Dutt and his daughter Priya Dutt, Siddiqui had joined Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party in February ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
There is talk that his son Zeeshan may also leave Congress before the upcoming assembly elections.
Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders have criticized the Mahayuti regime for the sensational murder of Siddiqui and demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
–IANS
AKJ/
