A recent update in the Baba Siddique murder investigation has disclosed that suspect Gurmail Singh conducted surveillance on actor Salman Khan’s residence last month. To evade detection after the murder, Singh reportedly destroyed his mobile phone’s display, as per officials.
Authorities found that the suspects used Snapchat to communicate and share information, deleting texts immediately after reading them to cover their tracks. They also allegedly sent fake Aadhaar cards through the app; one accused revealed they were instructed to take screenshots of these cards before deleting them.
The firearm used in the murder was brought from Ghatkopar by another suspect, Shiv Kumar Gautam, who remains at large.
Mumbai police are actively searching religious sites in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain and Khandwa districts for the third shooter involved in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, according to PTI.
The former Maharashtra minister was shot outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Nirmal Nagar, Mumbai, on Saturday night, with two of the six bullets striking his chest.
So far, three individuals have been arrested: Gurmail Baljit Singh (23) from Haryana, and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19) from Uttar Pradesh, both identified as shooters, along with Pravin Lonkar from Pune, a co-conspirator. Another suspect, Shivkumar Gautam, has been boasting about his “gangster” identity online. In a July Instagram post, Gautam shared a photo with the caption “Yaar tera gangster hai jaani” (your friend is a gangster), while posing on a motorcycle.
The police have also launched a search for Mohammad Yasin Akhtar, the alleged handler of the group.
Mumbai police teams have been in Madhya Pradesh since Sunday, focusing on Ujjain and Khandwa, where Gautam is suspected of visiting religious sites. The Omkareshwar temple in Khandwa, which borders Maharashtra, and the Mahakal temple near Ujjain attract thousands of visitors daily.
A local police official in Khandwa noted that the gunmen had previously frequented these locations, suggesting Gautam might return. However, no leads have surfaced so far.
Meanwhile, Mumbai police are probing potential motives for the murder, including contract killing, political or business disputes, or disagreements over a slum restoration project. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang is under suspicion, and investigators are looking into a social media post that claimed responsibility for the murder.
Shivkumar Gautam, from Gandara village in Bahraich district, reportedly had no prior criminal record. Locals mentioned he worked in Pune and became associated with a scrap shop. His recent social media activity included provocative posts and references to gangster films.
The third accused, Pravin Lonkar, is in police custody until October 21. He is alleged to have recruited the two shooters involved in the attack. The police have requested custody to take Lonkar to Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar for further inquiry. His brother, Shubham Lonkar, who is still at large, is believed to be connected to imprisoned gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and is thought to have conspired in the murder.
Yasin Akhtar, from Shankar village in Punjab’s Jalandhar district, is also wanted in connection with the case. Facing nine criminal charges, including murder, Akhtar was released from jail in June 2024 and is suspected of having links to gangster Vikram Brar.
