Baba Siddique's Assassination Sparks Political Outcry: Y-Security Failure; Is Anyone Safe in Mumbai?

Baba Siddique, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra East on Saturday night. The attack took place near Colgate ground in Nirmal Nagar, and Baba Siddique was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after the incident.

According to Hindustan Times (HT), 15 days prior, Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister, had reportedly received a life-threatening warning, which led to his security being upgraded to the Y category. While two of the assailants have been arrested, a third remains at large, as confirmed by Mumbai Police.

Photo Credit: PTI

The attack has sparked outrage among opposition leaders, who are now demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. They raised concerns about the safety of common citizens, highlighting the failure to protect a politician under Y-category security.

Congress expressed grief, calling Siddique's death a "massive loss" for Maharashtra. KC Venugopal, a Congress leader, criticised the state's law and order situation, stating that criminals have become fearless, with such violence taking place in busy public areas.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi echoed similar concerns, questioning how ordinary people can feel safe if a well-protected leader could be targeted in broad daylight.

Siddique, a prominent Muslim leader in Mumbai, had close ties with many Bollywood stars. Ajit Pawar, in his condolence message, called the attack "extremely unfortunate" and vowed that a full investigation would be carried out. He expressed his shock over Siddique's death, describing him as a strong advocate for the minority community and secularism.

CM Shinde, speaking to TV channels, confirmed that two suspects, one from Uttar Pradesh and another from Haryana, had been arrested, while the third assailant fled. Devendra Fadnavis, who also oversees the home department, visited Lilavati Hospital after the incident.

Baba Siddique had only recently joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.