Baba Siddique shot dead: While Dharamraj Kashyap has been arrested, Shivkumar Gautam is absconding. Shivkumar has been living in Pune for six years, while Dharamraj joined him recently
Of the three shooters who allegedly shot dead Baba Siddique, 66, a former three-time MLA from Bandra West and member of the Ajit Pawar faction of the National Congress Party (NCP) in Bandra East on Saturday, two — Dharamraj Kashyap and Shivkumar Gautam — are from Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district.
The family members of the duo from Gandara village of Bahraich’s Kaiserganj said they were “clueless about their children, but if they are guilty, treat them like criminals”.
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The attack, carried out during Dussehra festivities near his son Zeeshan’s office, saw six bullets fired at Siddique, four of which struck him fatally. The third shooter has been identified as Gurmail Baljeet Singh, 23, from Haryana and fourth as Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar. While Siddique had ‘Y’ security, the police suspect the killing was a contract hit. The arrested shooters have claimed ties to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, although the investigation is going on.
Sunday morning unfolded differently for the residents of Gandara, located 92 km from UP’s capital of Lucknow and 1,441 km from Mumbai’s Bandra East, where Siddique was shot dead. Despite the distance, the unrest was common at both places. In Gandara, people woke up to the sound of police sirens, heavy deployment of forces and a search operation targeting the homes of the duo, neighbours and long-time friends.
“At first, we thought something might have happened to them. They were good friends and had gone to Pune around three months ago,” said Radheyshyam Kashyap, father of Dharamraj, 18, who was arrested in Mumbai in connection with Siddique’s murder.
“Two accused were detained on the spot. Two pistols and 28 rounds have been recovered ,” Mumbai Police@kotakyesha shares details @kritsween | #BabaSiddiqueShotDeadpic.twitter.com/FUqGxCMNb0— News18 (@CNNnews18) October 13, 2024
WHO IS DHARAMRAJ KASHYAP?
Dharamraj Kashyap is the youngest of five siblings. His father, Radheyshyam Kashyap, a fish seller, told News18 how Dharamraj had always been close to Shivkumar, with both sharing dreams of a better and more prosperous life. “Although we faced financial hardships and I couldn’t give my children a good education, I always wanted them to work hard and earn an honest living, just like I did to support the family,” said Kashyap.
Initially, Radheyshyam said that Dharamraj assisted him in selling fish, but he was determined to get rid of the hardships and the village life and to move to bigger cities for work. “He always spoke about going to big cities, earning big money and living a king-size life,” Kashyap said. Some locals from the village said that it was the only thing which connected Dharamraj to Shivkumar, who shared similar aspirations and was already working in Pune for the past six years.
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Dharamraj’s mother, Sushma Devi, said: “Around three months ago, Dharamraj insisted on going to Pune to find a suitable job. Shivkumar was already working in Pune.”
Initially, Dharamraj kept in touch with his family, but after a short while, he stopped responding to their calls. “I don’t know why he stopped contacting us. I tried calling him several times, but he never responded,” Sushma Devi said.
She, however, said that if proven guilty, he should be treated like a criminal. “I don’t have any soft corner for a criminal,” inconsolable Sushma added.
Dharamraj has been arrested.
#WATCH | Bahraich, UP | Baba Siddique murder case | One of the arrested accused Dharamraj Kashyap’s mother says, “Two months ago, he went to work in a scrapyard. He went to Pune. We have contacted only once since then…” pic.twitter.com/nS3TiP8hfc— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2024
WHO IS SHIVKUMAR GAUTAM?
Shivkumar Gautam, 23, another alleged shooter involved in the murder of Siddique, hails from Gandara village in Bahraich, UP. He was engaged in the scrap trading business and was reportedly earning well.
His family described a gradual distancing over the years. “Initially, he used to talk to me over the phone, but then he stopped. He never sent us any money,” said his mother, recalling their strained relationship. It was only when his sister fell seriously ill a few months ago that Shivkumar sent them Rs 3,000 on much insistence. “When I asked him why he never talks to us, he told me not to call him anymore and that he would call whenever he felt like,” his mother added.
Shivkumar’s father, Balkrishna Kumar, believes his son was misled. “My son cannot commit a murder. However, if proven guilty, he should be treated like a murderer,” he said.
Shivkumar is still at large.
#WATCH | Baba Siddique Murder | Accused identified as Gurmail Singh and Dharamraj Kashyap being taken to Esplanade Court in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/m3Zn3OQeob— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2024
UP POLICE CONFIRM DUO’S INVOLVEMENT
As the news spread, disbelief gripped the local community. “It was shocking. I never imagined that the duo could commit such a crime,” said Mohammed Husnain, a resident of Gandara.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has confirmed the alleged involvement of Dharamraj and Shivkumar. Vrinda Shukla, Superintendent of Police (SP), Bahraich, said, “One of the accused is Dharamraj Kashyap, the other is Shivkumar Gautam alias Shiva. Shiva is absconding, while Dharmaraj has been apprehended by Mumbai Police. Both are residents of Gandara village and live adjacent to each other.”
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SP Shukla further explained that both suspects, aged around 18-19 years, had been working as scrap dealers in Pune. “No prior criminal record has been found for either of them. They come from ordinary families and were in touch with their relatives,” she added.
The police have reached out to their families to gather more information about the incident and any possible connections.
