Zeeshan Siddique's Security Upgraded Weeks Before Baba Siddique's Murder

Mumbai: Days after NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot dead by three assailants in suburban Bandra on Saturday, it has emerged that his son, Zeeshan Siddique's security was upgraded 20 days prior to the assassination, with protection similar to Y+ level, according to sources in the State Intelligence Department.

The NCP leader and former Maharashtra Minister Siddique was killed after being shot at outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar between 9.15 pm and 9.30 pm on Saturday. Six rounds were fired on Baba Siddique, two of which hit the former Maharashtra minister on the chest. He was rushed to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital for emergency treatment, where he succumbed to death on Saturday night. The last rites of Baba Siddique were performed with full state honours in Mumbai at Bada Qabrastan on Sunday.

Police have so far arrested three persons - Haryana resident Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), both alleged shooters, and "co-conspirator" Pravin Lonkar from Pune.

Another suspected shooter Shivkumar Gautam, who hails from Bahraich in UP and is on the run, took to posting online content in recent months, flaunting his "gangster" status.

"Yaar tera gangster hai jaani (your friend is a gangster)", Gautam captioned his photo post on his Instagram account on July 24. The photo showed him on a motorcycle as a Haryanvi song played in the background.

Suspected "handler" Mohammad Yasin Akhtar is also wanted in the case.

Police were also verifying a social media post, attributed to a purported member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, owning up to the murder of Siddique.

The crime branch was probing various angles, including a possible contract killing, business or political rivalry or threat over a slum rehabilitation project, officials said.

The Mumbai police have set up 15 teams which fanned out of Maharashtra in search of individuals linked to the high-profile murder.