The Maharashtra MLA had opposed a Slum Rehabilitation Project (SRA) Project in Bandra’s Bharat Nagar before receiving death threats
Slain Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique’s son and Maharashtra MLA, Zeeshan had, in September this year, written to the state intelligence unit seeking enhanced security citing a threat to life, sources said.
According to sources, though Zeeshan had police protection as he was an MLA, his security was enhanced after he expressed his concerns.
Police are reportedly speaking to Zeeshan about the security concerns he had raised. The Maharashtra MLA had opposed a Slum Rehabilitation Project (SRA) Project in Bandra’s Bharat Nagar before receiving death threats.
Baba Siddique (66) was waylaid by three men at Kher Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique’s office and shot at on Saturday night. He was taken to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai where he was declared dead.
Though the NCP leader’s shooters claimed to have links with Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, police are exploring multiple angles including a potential contract killing, business rivalry, and threats related to a slum rehabilitation project, according to a report by PTI.
A police official on Monday said only one constable was accompanying NCP leader Baba Siddique when he was shot dead by three persons who took cover of Dussehra fireworks to open fire.
Non-categorised security, under which Siddique was given three constables, is provided as per the individual’s threat perception, the official added.
Two constables on security duty were relieved in the evening and only one personnel was with Siddique when he was leaving for Bandra West from his son’s office on the fateful night, the official pointed out.
When the assailants opened fire, several persons in the congested area thought it was the sounds of firecrackers going off as part of Dussehra and Goddess Durga idol immersion processions, as per police.
An assistant inspector (API) of Nirmal Nagar police station and some other personnel rushed to the spot, managed to apprehend two of the alleged shooters and recovered two pistols and 29 live rounds from them, the official said.
