MUMBAI  –  A senior Muslim politician in India’s financial capital Mumbai has been shot dead weeks before a key state election, with police probing the role of a notorious crime gang. Baba Siddique, 66, a three-time legislator and former minister in Maharashtra state, was shot multiple times outside the office of his son, also a legislator, in Mumbai on Saturday night, police said in a statement. He later succumbed to his wounds at the city’s Lilavati Hospital.

Siddique was associated with the main opposition Congress party for decades but had recently joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – a regional party that governs Maharashtra in coalition with another regional group, the Shiv Sena, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Assembly elections in Maharashtra are expected to be held in November. The shooting came weeks after Siddique’s security detail was upgraded when he reportedly received death threats. News agency Press Trust of India reported that two suspected attackers had been arrested, and police were searching for another.

Broadcaster NDTV said the two suspects claimed they were part of a gang run by Lawrence Bishnoi, who is in jail accused of running a crime gang that has carried out multiple killings. Siddique was also close to several Bollywood superstars and was known for throwing lavish parties. Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP group that Siddique belonged to, said he was “shocked” by the killing.

“The incident will be thoroughly investigated and strict action will be taken against the attackers. The mastermind behind the attack will also be traced,” Pawar said in a statement on X. “This is not a time for division or for exploiting the pain of others for political advantage. Right now, our focus must be on ensuring that justice is served.” (Al Jazeera)

Photo: Police officers stand at the crime scene next to markings of the gunshots where politician Baba Siddique was shot dead in Mumbai, India. (Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters)…[+]