New Delhi, Oct 13: The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique.

The 66-year-old leader was shot dead outside the office of his son Zeeshan Siddique in Mumbai's Bandra East on Saturday night.

A Facebook post, purportedly by a gang member, said that the murder was due to Siddique’s ties with Bollywood actor Salman Khan and underworld figures -- Anuj Thapan and Dawood Ibrahim.

The post by Shubuu Lonkar Maharashtra wrote, "Om, Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat I understand the value of life, consider wealth and the body as dust. I did only what was right, honoured the duty of friendship. Salman Khan, we did not want this war but you made our brother lose his life. Today those praising Baba Siddique or was with Dawood under the MCOCA Act. The reason for his death was his linking of Dawood and Anuj Thapan to Bollywood, politics, and property dealings."

The writer goes on to say in the post, "We have no enmity with anyone. However, anyone who helps Salman Khan or the Dawood gang should be prepared. If anyone gets any of our brothers killed, we will definitely respond. We never strike first. Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat, salute to the martyrs."

The veracity of the post was to be confirmed by the police. The post, however, has gone viral on social media.

According to the Mumbai Police, three shooters were involved in the murder. Out of the three, two have been arrested -- Gurmail Baljit Singh, 23, from Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap, 19, from Uttar Pradesh.

The third has been identified as Shiv Kumar, also from Uttar Pradesh and police suspect the involvement of a fourth person, believed to be the handler. Both are on the run.

Siddique and his associate were targeted by the attackers at around 9.30 p.m. on Saturday. Hours after the attack, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the killing.

Sources said the suspects had been monitoring Siddique for months, conducting reconnaissance of his residence and office. They were paid Rs 50,000 each in advance for the attack and the weapons had been delivered to them only days before the attack.

Siddique shared a close association with Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who has repeatedly faced threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and associates. On April 14, two shooters fired five rounds outside Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment in Bandra. Mumbai Police in a charge sheet said the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had links with shooters.

Further details and official confirmation were awaited.

--IANS

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