The final rites of former Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique were performed with full state honours on Sunday at Bada Qabrastan in Mumbai. Prominent NCP leaders, including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Ajit Pawar, were present to pay their respects.
Baba Siddique was tragically murdered outside his office in Nirmal Nagar, Mumbai, on Saturday. He sustained two gunshot wounds to his chest and was immediately rushed to Lilavati Hospital for emergency treatment. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries later that night.
Dr. Jalil Parkar from Lilavati Hospital provided details, stating, “Baba Siddique was admitted around 9:30 PM. Upon arrival, his pulse and blood pressure were unrecordable, and the ECG showed a flat line. We shifted him to the ICU, but unfortunately, he passed away shortly after.”
In connection with Siddique’s murder, another suspect was arrested in Pune on Sunday. The individual, identified as 28-year-old Pravin Lonkar, is the brother of Shubham Lonkar, one of the key conspirators in the crime. Both Lonkar brothers, along with two others—Dharmaraj Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam—are believed to be involved in the plot.
Gurmail Singh, another accused, was produced in Esplanade Court and was remanded to the custody of the Mumbai Crime Branch until October 21. The court also ordered an ossification test for the second suspect.
The assassination of Baba Siddique has sent shockwaves through political and entertainment circles. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Siddique’s family at Lilavati Hospital and vowed to take strict action against those responsible for the crime. Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, along with other political leaders like Ramdas Athawale and Parth Pawar, also visited the hospital to offer their condolences.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam expressed his deep sorrow, calling Siddique’s death a “personal loss.” He described the incident as “worrying and unfortunate,” stating that Siddique was “a very good person.”
The opposition has strongly criticized the Maharashtra government over the murder. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge labelled the incident as a “failure of law and order” in the state. He pointed out that despite Siddique expressing concerns about his safety, adequate protection was not provided, resulting in a significant lapse in security.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut echoed similar sentiments, blaming the Chief Minister for the deteriorating law and order situation in Maharashtra. “The death of Baba Siddique highlights the failure of the state’s leadership,” Raut remarked.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale expressed his grief over Siddique’s death, describing it as a great loss for the Mahayuti alliance. He called for strict punishment for the perpetrators and emphasized that the masterminds behind the murder should also face justice. “Baba Siddique was not only a minority leader but also a supporter of the Dalit community. His death is a major setback,” Athawale added.
Bollywood personalities also paid tribute to Baba Siddique. Actor Salman Khan, along with his brother Sohail Khan and sister Arpita Khan Sharma, visited Siddique’s residence to express their condolences. Other celebrities, including Zareen Khan, Raj Kundra, and Zaheer Iqbal, also attended to pay their final respects.
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