STATE TIMES NEWS
Mumbai: NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique died in hospital after being shot by three men in Mumbai’s Bandra East area on Saturday night, officials said.
Two persons were arrested immediately after the incident that took place outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddiqui’s office near Colgate ground in Nirmal Nagar, they added.
In a condolence message on X, deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar described the attack as extremely unfortunate and condemnable.
“I was shocked on learning that he died in this incident,” Pawar said, adding that he had lost a good friend and colleague. “We have lost a leader who fought for the minority community and championed secularism,” he said, adding that a thorough probe would be conducted into the attack.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde earlier said Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar had told him that two alleged shooters have been taken into custody.
One of them is from Uttar Pradesh and the other from Haryana, while a third accused fled from the spot, the CM told TV channels.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, arrived at Lilavati Hospital where Siddique was admitted.
Siddiqui, a three time-former MLA, had recently joined the NCP after quitting the Congress.
Leaders cutting across party lines condoled the death of Siddiqui, with some from opposition parties expressing concern at the law and order situation in Maharashtra.
“The firing incident is unfortunate, condemnable and painful. I am shocked to learn about his death,” Siddiqui’s party president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said.
A thorough probe will be done and strict action will be taken against the guilty, he added.
NCP working president Praful Patel, a close friend of Siddiqui, said he was at a loss of words.
Congress-turned-BJP leader Ashok Chavan said he had worked with Siddiqui when both were in the grand old party, adding the news was shocking. In a post on X, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said he was deeply shocked at the death of a “dear friend from my Youth Congress days”.
NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar said it was worrying how the law and order situation had deteriorated in Maharashtra.