An Indian politician has been shot dead in the commercial capital Mumbai.

According to local media reports, gunmen opened fire on 66-year-old Baba Siddique near the office of his son, also a politician.

Two people were arrested in connection with the murder.

Siddique, a former local minister, was a senior figure in politics in Maharashtra state, which is expected to hold a general election next month.

In February, he left the Congress, India’s main opposition party, and joined the independent regional National Congress Party (NCP), part of the BJP’s ruling coalition.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who belongs to the same party as Siddique, said he was shocked by the “cowardly attack”.

Siddique was known for his wild partying and close relationships with Bollywood superstars.

The shooting took place amid tight security due to a major Hindu festival in the city.

Opposition parties criticized the government, saying there were major security gaps. The state government has promised a thorough investigation.

Although two suspects were arrested, the motive is unclear. The police are looking for a third suspect.

Some Indian media reports that the suspects said they belonged to a gang led by notorious criminal Lawrence Bishnoi.

Bishnoi is currently serving a prison sentence for his involvement in several high-profile murder cases, including the murder of Indian rapper Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022.

The shooting came weeks after Siddique’s security detail was beefed up following death threats.