Mumbai:

Baba Siddique, a former minister from Maharashtra and a member of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP, has died after he was shot at in Mumbai’s Bandra.

Sources said the gunmen fired six bullets near the office of Mr Siddique’s son Zeeshan, the Bandra East MLA, around 9.30 pm on Saturday. Two people were arrested.

Mr. Siddique was admitted to Lilavati Hospital. Sources said four bullets hit the 66-year-old NCP leader and one of his aides also suffered a bullet wound. The shooting occurred during Dussehra and came months before the assembly elections in Maharashtra, which are expected to take place later this year.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he had spoken to police and doctors at the hospital. “The incident is extremely unfortunate. There are reports that he (Mr Siddique) has died. Two people have been arrested, one from Uttar Pradesh and one from Haryana, while another is absconding. “I have asked the police to take strict action and ensure that no one takes law and order into their hands, that a gang war situation should not arise again in Mumbai,” he said in Marathi.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the House portfolio, has reached the hospital. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar wrote on X that he was shocked to learn of Mr Siddique’s death and that he had lost a good colleague and friend.

Mr Siddique, who was a three-time MLA from Bandra West, was associated with the Congress for 48 years and had left the party in February and joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP. Zeeshan Siddique was expelled from the Congress in August.

Expressing shock, NCP spokesperson Brijmohan Shrivastav told NDTV that Mr Siddique had not spoken of any threats.

Mr. Siddique was elected MP from Bandra West constituency in 1999, 2004 and 2009 and served as Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies, Labor and FDA between 2004 and 2008.

The former MP was known not only for his political acumen, but also for throwing lavish parties. A cold war between superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan was settled at an ‘Iftar’ party hosted by Mr Siddique in 2013.

Salman Khan and actor Sanjay Dutt have also arrived at the hospital.

Law and order issues

Opposition party leaders expressed grief over Mr Siddique’s death and also raised questions about law and order in Mumbai. They questioned how a politician with Y security could be publicly killed in an upscale area like Bandra.

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) President Sharad Pawar said people in the government should take responsibility and resign from their posts.

“The deteriorating law and order situation in the state is a matter of concern. It is sad that former state minister Baba Siddique was shot dead in the country’s financial capital, Mumbai. When the interior minister and those in power push the vehicle of the state.” “Such leniency can be a warning signal to the common people. This must not only be investigated but also take responsibility and resign from their positions.” My heartfelt thanks to his Marathi family.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said the state government had been supporting criminals.

“The shooting and killing of former state minister and former MLA Baba Siddique, who had Y-level security, is very shocking and tragic. I pray for strength for his family during this difficult time. He was a great leader of the state.” “We keep saying that Maharashtra has become Uttar Pradesh, but such incidents are happening here now because there is no fear of police in the city,” the Congress leader wrote in Marathi.

In his post on X, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the incident would be investigated thoroughly and strict action would be taken against the attackers.