Baba Siddique Murder: Constable Assigned For NCP Leader's Security Suspended For Negligence

A week after NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead in Bandra, the Mumbai Police on Friday suspended a head constable providing security to him for negligence and inaction during the shooting incident.

Shyam Sonawane, who is also the complainant in the Baba Siddique murder case, claimed that the accused used pepper spray to evade arrest and burst crackers before the fatal strike to confuse the security guarding the leader.

The police said that all constables from the protection branch deployed to guard Baba Siddique are being questioned to determine the reason for their ‘inaction.’

Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and a senior leader of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, was killed after being shot by three individuals in Bandra East, Mumbai, on October 12 evening.

He was assassinated outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office near Colgate Ground in Nirmal Nagar.

Earlier on Thursday, Zeeshan Siddique had demanded justice for his family, while also appealing that his father’s death should not be politicised and nor should it go in vain.

Mumbai Police Arrest 9 Accused

The Mumbai Police on Friday arrested five more people in connection with the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. With these arrests, the total number of accused held till now has reached nine.

According to the police, the Crime Branch carried out several raids in Panvel and Karjat which led to the arrest of these five persons for conspiracy related to the crime and its execution, news agency PTI reported citing officials.

The official identified the five accused as Nitin Gautam Sapre (32), Sambhaji Kisan Pardhi (44), Pradeep Dattu Thombre (37), Chetan Dilip Pardhi and Ram Fulchand Kanoujia (43).

The Mumbai Police earlier arrested four persons, including Haryana resident Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), both alleged shooters; Harishkumar Balakram Nisad (23), and “co-conspirator” Pravin Lonkar, who hails from Pune.

Main accused Shivkumar Gautam, who allegedly fired six rounds at Baba Siddique, of which two hit the target, is still absconding. The cops have formed several teams to capture the accused.