Mumbai: Senior NCP leader Baba Ziauddin Siddique was shot dead in broad daylight near Nirmal Nagar in Bandra East, Mumbai, on Saturday. According to reports, at least two to three assailants ambushed him as he arrived at his office. The attackers ran towards him and fired multiple rounds at the businessman and politician Siddiqui, hitting him with two to three bullets, one of which struck his chest.
A colleague standing nearby was also shot in the leg. The incident occurred around 9:30 PM. Initially, people did not pay much attention to the gunfire, as the noise of firecrackers from various places drowned out the sound of gunshots. Once some individuals realized that shooting had taken place, they rushed him to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra West, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
As news broke, leaders from NCP, Congress, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), along with a large number of supporters, gathered at the hospital. His son, Congress MLA Jishan B. Siddiqui, and his close friend, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, were also present at the hospital. A police officer stated that two individuals were detained shortly after the shooting, and further investigations are being carried out by the crime branch.
While the motive behind the assassination of the influential leader from the minority community remains unclear, there are suspicions that it may be related to business rivalries. A veteran leader who was closely associated with former Union Minister Sunil Dutt and his daughter Priya Dutt for decades, Siddiqui joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP in February ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
There is speculation that his son Jishan may also leave Congress before the upcoming Assembly elections. Opposition MVA leaders have criticized the Maha Yuti government for Siddiqui’s shocking murder and have demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis.