NCP leader and ex-Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique shot dead in Bandra

Baba Siddique, a prominent leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and former Maharashtra minister, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Bandra East, Mumbai, on Saturday evening. He was 66 years old. Siddique suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. In the aftermath of the incident, local police and crime branch officials have launched a manhunt for the attackers, who escaped the scene.

The former three-time MLA from Bandra West had recently switched from the Congress party to the NCP in February 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. His son, Zeeshan, currently holds the Bandra East assembly seat. Known for his annual iftar parties that attracted many Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Sanjay Dutt, Siddique was a well-known figure in both political and social circles. Siddique began his political career with the Congress party, where he became an associate of the late Sunil Dutt, a respected actor and politician. His close relationship with the Dutt family, particularly with Sanjay Dutt, was notable throughout his career. He was elected as a corporator in the Mumbai civic body twice, in 1992 and 1997, before winning the Bandra West Assembly seat in 1999 as a Congress candidate. He successfully retained his seat in the following elections in 2004 and 2009.