Shiv Kumar Gautam, the primary suspect in the murder of former minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique
New Delhi: Shiv Kumar Gautam, the primary suspect in the murder of former minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique, disclosed that following the shooting, he remained outside Lilavati Hospital—where the politician was transported—to determine whether Mr. Siddique had succumbed to his injuries or survived, according to police reports.
The assailant, who promptly changed his shirt after the incident, informed the authorities that he lingered outside the hospital for approximately 30 minutes amidst the crowd. He departed as soon as he learned that Mr. Siddique’s condition was extremely critical.
Mr. Siddique, aged 66, was fatally shot in Bandra, Mumbai, on October 12 at 9:11 PM, as reported by the police. He suffered two gunshot wounds to the chest and was immediately taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he ultimately passed away.
The accused stated that the original plan involved meeting his associates—Dharmaraj Kashyap and Gurmail Singh—at the Ujjain railway station, where a member of the Bishnoi gang was expected to escort them to Vaishno Devi. However, this plan was thwarted when Kashyap and Singh were apprehended by law enforcement.
How police arrested the main accused
Four associates of the primary suspect, whose late-night mobile phone conversations raised alarms, were instrumental in assisting the Mumbai police in locating Gautam, who was apprehended on Sunday.
The Mumbai Crime Branch, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF), detained Gautam along with Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava, and Akhilendra Pratap Singh near the Nepal border.
As per police reports, the investigation was initiated due to the suspicious behavior of Gautam’s four companions, who were observed buying clothing in various sizes and arranging to meet him in a secluded forest area. They maintained frequent communication with Gautam through internet calls on mobile phones acquired in Lucknow, according to PTI.
The four individuals were allegedly planning to aid the main suspect in his escape from the country, as stated by the police.
Following the shooting incident, Gautam traveled to Kurla from the crime scene, took a local train to Thane, and subsequently fled to Pune, where he is believed to have discarded his mobile phone. He remained in Pune for approximately seven days before moving to Jhansi and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
On Sunday, Gautam was discovered hiding in a small settlement of 10 to 15 huts, situated about 10 kilometers from Nanpara, a town in Uttar Pradesh.
