Former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead in Mumbai's Bandra today. A political veteran in Maharashtra, Mr Siddique left Congress, after nearly five decades of association with the party, and joined the ruling BJP's ally Nationalist Congress Party in February this year. NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar reacted to the killing of his party leader and said that a thorough investigation will be conducted in the incident and the mastermind of the attack will also be nabbed.
"The incident of the shooting at Baba Siddique, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, former Minister of State, and my colleague who served for a long time in the legislature, is extremely unfortunate, condemnable, and painful. I was shocked to hear about his death in this incident. I have lost a good colleague and a friend. I strongly condemn this cowardly attack. I offer my heartfelt condolences to Baba Siddique. A thorough investigation will be conducted into this incident, and strict action will be taken against the attackers. The mastermind behind the attack will also be found. With Baba Siddique's death, we have lost a good leader who fought for the minority communities and worked towards communal harmony. His demise is a great loss to the Nationalist Congress Party. I share the grief of Zeeshan Siddique, the Siddique family, and their supporters," he tweeted.
Expressing grief at the death of Baba Siddique, leaders of opposition parties raised questions about law and order in Mumbai, asking how a politician of his stature could be killed in public in an upscale area like Bandra. Baba Siddique was visiting his MLA son's Bandra office when the shooting took place. Reports say three bullets were fired at him. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he has spoken to police and people at the hospital. "Two people have been arrested, one from Uttar Pradesh and one from Haryana, while another is on the run. I have asked the Mumbai police to take strict action," he said.