An Indian legislator has been shot dead in the commercial capital Mumbai. According to local media reports, gunmen opened fire on Baba Siddiqui, 66, near the office of his son, who is also an MLA. Two people have been arrested in connection with the killing. Siddiqui, a former local minister, was a senior figure in the politics of Maharashtra state, which is expected to hold official elections next month. In February he split from the Congress, India’s main opposition party, and joined the isolated regional Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is part of the BJP’s governing coalition. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is from the same party as Siddiqui, said he was shocked by the “vile attack”. Siddiqui was known for lavish parties and close ties with Bollywood superstars. The shooting came amid tight security as the city marks a major Hindu festival. Opposition parties have hit out at the government, saying there was a major security lapse. The state government has guaranteed a thorough investigation.
Although two suspects have been detained, the reason is not clear. Police are searching for the third suspect.
According to some Indian media reports, the suspects have said that they were from a group run by notorious criminal Lawrence Bishnoi.
Bishnoi is currently in jail in connection with some high-profile cases. Apart from this, he is also linked to the murder of Indian rapper Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022
The shootout comes a few weeks after Siddiqui’s security arrangements were updated following threats.