NCP leader Baba Siddique succumbs to gunshot injuries in Mumbai; 'lost a good friend', says Ajit Pawar

Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique passed away after being shot at multiple times by unidentified persons on Saturday, according to Mumbai police.
The incident occurred near the office of Zeeshan Siddiqui, Baba Siddiqui's son, in Bandra East. Baba Siddiqui suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was swiftly taken to Lilavati Hospital for medical care. According to officials, his condition was critical when he was admitted to the hospital and sustained injuries in chest and abdomen.
Three assailants were involved in the attack, and authorities are now investigating to uncover the motive and identify the perpetrators.
Two people have been arrested so far.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde said one of the accused is from UP and the other is from Haryana. The third accused is on the run.
"I have given instructions to the police that nobody in Mumbai should take the law into their hands . And the underworld should not rear its head," Shinde said.

A two-time BMC corporator, Siddique won the Bandra West assembly constituency in 1999 on a Congress ticket and successfully retained his seat in the 2004 and 2009 elections. However, he lost to BJP's Ashish Shelar in 2014 and did not run in the 2019 assembly elections. Siddique also held the position of Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies in the Congress-NCP government from 2004 to 2008. Earlier this year, he joined NCP.
Read more: NCP leader Baba Siddique shot dead in Mumbai: What we know so far
Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar condemned the incident and said that the attack will be thoroughly investigated and the mastermind behind the incident will also be traced.
Taking to X, NCP chief said, "The incident of firing on NCP leader, former Minister of State, my colleague Baba Siddiqui who has been in the Legislature for a long time is very unfortunate, condemnable and painful. I was shocked to know that he died in this incidentI have lost my good colleague, and friend. I strongly condemn this cowardly attack. I offer my heartfelt tributes to Baba Siddiqui."
"The incident will be thoroughly investigated and strict action will be taken against the attackers. The mastermind behind the attack will also be traced. With the demise of Baba Siddiqui, we have lost a good leader who fought for the minority brothers and strived for pan-religious harmony. His death is a big loss for NCP. I share in the grief of Zeeshan Siddiqui, Siddiqui family and their workers."
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey expressed serious concerns regarding the safety of former MLAs in the state. He called upon the home minister Devendra Fadnavis and CM Eknath Shinde to resign from the post.
"If former MLAs are not safe in our city Mumbai, if leaders of the government are not safe then how will this government protect the common people? If they cannot keep their MLAs and former ministers safe then home minister Devendra Fadnavis should resign. He has no right to continue as the home minister. Eknath Shinde has no right to continue as the CM of the state," he said.
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"There is firing on the streets of Mumbai in broad daylight. Three rounds are being fired and people are being shot at... Is this law and order?... The criminals have no fear... The policies of the Mahayuti and BJP had maligned the politics," he added.
NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar also reacted to the incident and demanded the Mahayuti government to accept responsibility and step down from the position.
"The state's collapsed law and order situation is a cause for concern. The firing on former state minister Baba Siddiqui in Mumbai is regrettable...There is a need not only to investigate this but also to accept the responsibility and step down from the position of government," Pawar said in a social media post on X.
"A heartfelt tribute to Baba Siddique. Condolences to his family," he added.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya called the murder "huge conspiracy" and demanded a special investigative team probe the matter. "Baba Siddique's murder is a matter of concern. The government should make a special team and investigate this. It seems to be a huge conspiracy. Strict action should be taken," Somaiya said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also expressed her sorrow over the murder of Baba Siddique, saying, "He was a respected leader across party lines, and it deeply saddened me to hear about his death. This incident highlights the complete deterioration of law and order in Maharashtra. Just 15 days ago, he mentioned receiving threats, and while Y-category security was provided to him, this intelligence failure still occurred.
There are claims that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and other groups are involved. What has happened to our intelligence agencies? What has happened to the Mumbai Police, which is globally recognized for its law and order? Maharashtra has been brought to a state of lawlessness, where only looting prevails, and the justice system is failing."