The investigations expand across multiple states as police search for absconding suspects in the former Maharashtra minister’s murder
Team Clarion
MUMBAI — The hunt for Shivakumar, the man suspected of shooting senior NCP leader and former minister Baba Siddique, has intensified, with Mumbai Police expanding their search to Madhya Pradesh. According to police sources, Shivakumar, who fired six rounds at Siddiqui, is believed to be hiding in religious places in Ujjain and Khandoh. The police are also searching for Shibham Lonkar, who claimed responsibility for the murder on his Facebook account, and Zeeshan Akhtar, another key conspirator.
Out of the 15 teams of the Crime Branch assigned to the case, five have been sent to Punjab’s Jalandhar, with additional teams deployed to Pune, Jalgaon (Maharashtra), Ujjain, and Khandoh (Madhya Pradesh), and Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh). The police suspect that Shivakumar, who has no prior criminal record, might be hiding at a religious location due to his religious mindset. Places like Omkareshwar and Mahakal are under special scrutiny as the Crime Branch collaborates with local police in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Despite the ongoing search, police have only managed to arrest Parveen Lonkar, who was apprehended in Pune on Sunday night and is now in police custody until October 21. Meanwhile, Shibham Lonkar, who brazenly took responsibility for the murder, remains at large.
A new suspect, 22-year-old Zeeshan Akhtar, has emerged as a key figure in orchestrating the conspiracy. Akhtar, a resident of Jalandhar, is believed to have played a pivotal role in planning Baba Siddique’s assassination. The police consider him the mastermind. He is already facing seven serious charges, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery, in various police stations across Punjab.
The investigation into Baba Siddique’s murder continues as law enforcement agencies race against time to apprehend the suspects.