A month after the murder of senior NCP leader Baba Siddique in Bandra, Mumbai, the Crime Branch, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), has arrested the main shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, along with four associates. The arrests took place on Sunday in Bahraich district, near the Indo-Nepal border. The total number of arrests in connection with the case now stands at 23.
Shivkumar Gautam’s Alleged Ties to Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi
Shivkumar Gautam, a native of Bahraich district, is reportedly affiliated with the interstate gang led by Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious gangster currently incarcerated in Gujarat. Police allege that Gautam had been in contact with Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol Bishnoi, via Snapchat, at the direction of Shubham Lonkar, the primary planner of the murder. Lonkar, who is currently absconding, is believed to have coordinated the entire operation. Shivkumar confessed that he was promised ₹10 lakh and additional expenses for carrying out the murder of Baba Siddique.
Details of the Arrest and Escape
Shivkumar and his four associates—Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Shrivastava, and Akhilendra Pratap Singh—are all from Gandara village, and had provided shelter to Shivkumar during his escape. The Mumbai Crime Branch had initially sought the assistance of the UP STF on October 23 to track down the fugitives. Coordinated efforts led to the arrest of all five suspects in Nanpara, Bahraich, just before they could flee to Nepal.
Murder Details: A Pre-planned Hit by Lawrence Bishnoi’s Gang
Baba Siddique was shot dead on October 12 outside the Bandra East office of his MLA son, Zeeshan Siddiqui. Two of the shooters, Dharmaraj Kashyap and Gurmail Singh, were arrested at the scene, while Shivkumar managed to escape. The arrested shooters revealed that the murder was orchestrated by Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in a Gujarat prison. During his interrogation, Shivkumar confirmed the shooters’ statements, identifying Shubham Lonkar and Yasin Akhtar (alias Zeeshan Akhtar) as the key handlers behind the operation.
Shivkumar Gautam’s Confession and Escape Route
Shivkumar revealed that he and Dharmaraj Kashyap had worked together at a scrap shop in Pune, where they had met Shubham Lonkar, who had close ties to Lawrence Bishnoi. According to Shivkumar, Lonkar and Yasin Akhtar had provided the shooters with weapons, SIM cards, and phones for communication. After the murder, new phones and SIM cards were given to the shooters, and Shivkumar discarded his phone during his escape.
He recounted his journey to Pune, and later to Bahraich, where he hid in Jhansi and Lucknow before finally being apprehended. During his escape, he communicated with his handlers by borrowing mobile phones from fellow passengers.
Motive and the Role of Anmol Bishnoi
Though Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence’s younger brother, is believed to have played a key role in the planning of the murder, the motive behind Siddique’s assassination remains unclear. Anmol is suspected to be residing in Canada but frequently travels to the U.S.. Police are continuing to investigate his involvement in the plot.
The authorities are now focused on apprehending the remaining conspirators, including Shubham Lonkar and Zeeshan Akhtar, who are still at large.
