Shooters practiced in forest for “minimum of five sessions” before Baba Siddique’s murder: Mumbai Police

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 22 (ANI): Mumbai Police said on Tuesday that the shooters involved in the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique engaged in at least five practice sessions before executing the attack.

They said that the shooters practiced their shooting skills in a forest along the Karjat-Khopoli road.

“The shooters practiced shooting in a forest located on Karjat-Khopoli Road before targeting Baba Siddique. The accused practiced by shooting at a tree in the forest near Palasadari village near a waterfall on Karjat-Khopoli Road,” Mumbai Police said.

The police further said that the accused fired between five to ten rounds at a tree in the nearby forest during their practice sessions. “The shooters practiced shooting in September of this year,” they added.

Earlier, the Mumbai Police suspended police security guard Shyam Sonawane, who was present with Baba Siddique at the time of the incident.

According to the police, constable Sonawane “did not take any action” against the assailants who fired at Siddique.

“An internal investigation is also ongoing,” the police said.

Baba Siddique was shot outside his office in Nirmal Nagar, sustaining two gunshot wounds to the chest. He was taken to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital for emergency treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on October 12.

Around four people were arrested in connection with this case, and three others were said to be absconding.

One of the arrested accused, Ram Kanojia, revealed during interrogation that he was the first person given the contract to kill the NCP leader and initially demanded one crore rupees, according to the Mumbai Crime Branch.

Earlier, a photograph of NCP leader Baba Siddique’s son, Zeeshan Siddique, was found in the phone of one of the arrested accused. The picture was shared with the accused by their handler through Snapchat, police said.