The Lawrence Bishnoi gang had not only claimed responsibility for Baba Siddique’s murder, but has also promised that anyone who assists actor Salman Khan, near whose home it has already fired warning shots, will be targeted.
Soon after Mr Siddique, a three-time MLA and former Maharashtra minister, was assassinated outside his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique,’s office in Bandra East on Saturday night, rumours circulated that the audacious murder was linked to the Bishnoi gang. This was confirmed on Sunday after a Facebook post by Shubuu Lonkar, a Bishnoi gang associate, claimed responsibility. While Lonkar is in custody, authorities believe the post was authored by his brother, Pravin Lonkar, who was arrested on Sunday evening.
Lonkar stated in the post that Siddique was slain because he was tied to India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was close to Salman Khan, and died in police custody with Anuj Thapan, one of the apprehended suspects in the shooting outside Mr Khan’s residence. Thapan was discovered dead on May 1 inside the Mumbai Crime Branch lockup.
The authorities reported he died by suicide, but his relatives claimed he was abused in detention. “We have no ill will towards anyone, but whoever helps Salman Khan and the Dawood gang, keep your accounts in order (‘hisab-kitaab kar lena’),” Lonkar stated in Hindi in the Facebook post. Police have stated that they are verifying the validity of the message.
Siddique was known for throwing lavish parties, and a five-year-old feud between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan was settled at his ‘iftar’ celebration in 2013. According to police sources, the Bishnoi gang has attacked at least two celebrities over their alleged closeness to Salman Khan since last year. Mr Khan visited the hospital where Siddique was confined after being shot on Saturday and returned to his home on Sunday.
The Bishnoi gang, which became well-known after claiming responsibility for the murder of musician Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022, has stated that it wants to kill Salman Khan because of his alleged involvement in shooting blackbucks at Bawad in Mathania near Jodhpur in September 1998, while filming ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’.