India was thrown into mourning on Saturday, October 12 when news got out that veteran Maharashtra politician, Baba Siddique was shot dead.
With over four decades in the Indian political space, the news of his death came as huge shock. With lots of unanswered questions on this legend’s tragic demise, this article provides some answers.
The Shooting and Investigation
In the late hours of Saturday, Baba Siddique was visiting his son in Bandra East, Mumbai when he got shot. The attack happened at around 9:30 pm in front of his son’s where the assailants fired three bullets at Baba Siddique. As people rushed towards the scene, he was found in a pool of blood and was then taken to the Lilavati Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Indian police swept into action and investigations have been able to uncover two suspects, Gurmail Baljit Singh from Haryana and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh. These suspects have been taken into custody for further investigation.
However, according to the police reports, one other suspect was still on the run. A gang, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, came out to claim responsibility for the association. As investigation proceeds, the motive behind his murder remains unclear.
However, a lot of fingers are pointed at the fact that it could have been as a result of gang or political rivalry. He has made a name for himself in the Indian political space, and as such would have also made a lot of enemies.
Ties to Bollywood and Lavish Lifestyle
Since the news of his murder was announced, there has been an in-pouring of condolence from Bollywood, India’s movie industry. Baba Siddique was known to have ran with the top names in the movie industry with connections that ran deep.
For years, he was famous for throwing grand iftar parties with top industry giants like Shah Ruka Khan, Salman Khan and other top names in attendance. His lavish lifestyle was not news, with a net worth estimated at over $9.04 million as far back as 2014.
Life in the Indian Political Space
Baba Siddique's political journey was one that began quite early when he was still a teenager. He had served in the Indian National Congress for three terms as Member of Legislative Assembly in 1999, 2004 and 2009. Baba Siddique also served as Minister of State for Food & Civil Supplies and Labour between 2004 to 2008. However in 2024, he made a bold political move when he defected to re Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Could this have been the source of his assassination attempt?
Anyway, during his time in government, Baba Siddique was known to have been in the mix of controversy. There are cases of shady land deals and corruption allegations which all gave him a reputation in the Indian political space. Despite all this, Baba Siddique still remained an influential figure in Maharashtra politics.
Wrapping Up
As investigations continue to look into the murder of Baba Siddique, Indians look forward to the possible reasons. Baba Siddique’s legacy might not have been one that the people of India cherish, but it’s undeniable that he earned his flowers in their political scene. His charismatic nature and lavish lifestyle earned him enemies the same way it made him friends.