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MUMBAI: Former minister Ziauddin ‘Baba’ Siddique’s assassination on Saturday despite being under police protection came as a chilling throwback to the gangland killings of the 1990s. The shooting took place during a Dussehra rally in Bandra at a time when the streets were being heavily patrolled, raising concerns about law and order in Mumbai.
The attack took place outside his son Zeeshan’s office in Nirmal Nagar, Bandra, around 9:30 p.m.Siddique was accompanied by only one of his two assigned police guards at the time, the other having left earlier in the evening. Witnesses reported that the attackers shot him from barely three feet away, while his police guard did nothing to intervene. It was later revealed that the guard had been incapacitated by pepper spray, allowing the gunmen to escape.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Datta Nalawade said there had been no special security arrangements made for the three-time MLA. Nalawade also confirmed that Siddique had not filed any complaints about threats. Siddique had been provided with standard police protection-two officers during the day and one at night.According to witnesses, the police guard failed to react as the three assailants approached Siddique and opened fire from a close range-just three feet away. “The accused had sprayed pepper spray on the police guard after the firing, which is why he couldn’t react,” an investigating officer said. “Local police, along with members of the public, managed to apprehend two of the attackers after they attempted to hide in a nearby building.” said an officer. He added that a protection branch is also conducting an inquiry to find out if there was any lacuna on the guard’s part.
The killing has drawn comparisons to high-profile gangland murders of the 1990s, including the killings of BJP leader Prem Kumar Sharma and former Muslim League MLA Ziauddin Bukhari. The brazenness of the attack, combined with its timing during a public event like Dussehra, has raised security concerns.
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