'Loss is deeply personal, won't rest until...': Ajit Pawar on Baba Siddique's death

A day after NCP leader Baba Siddique's death, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said his party was devastated by the tragic loss, but urged everyone to resist the temptation to politicise this 'horrifying' issue.

"I have lost a dear friend whom I have known for years. We are heartbroken, struggling to grasp the cruelty of this incident. This is not just a political loss—it's a deeply personal tragedy that has shaken us all," he said in a tweet. 

"I strongly urge everyone to resist the temptation to politicize this horrifying event. This is not a time for division or for exploiting the pain of others for political advantage. Right now, our focus must be on ensuring that justice is served. We will not rest until those responsible are brought to account."

"But in this moment, I ask that we pause, that we honor the immense grief of Baba Siddique’s family, who have suffered the greatest loss. Let us show respect and compassion rather than allowing opportunistic voices to turn this tragedy into a political spectacle," the NCP chief said, adding that this is a time for unity, for mourning, and for remembering a leader who was deeply cherished by so many.

Siddique (66) was shot dead by three assailants in Mumbai on Saturday night. The shocking incident has prompted the opposition to question the law and order situation in the state where the assembly elections are expected to be held mid-November. Baba Siddique was waylaid by three men at Kher Nagar in Mumbai's Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office and shot at. 

The case has been handed over to the crime branch for probe and the police are investigating it from all different angles, including contract killing, business rivalry, and threat over a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project. 

Meanwhile, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for Siddique's murder. A gang member in a Facebook post said the murder was due to Siddique's ties with Bollywood actor Salman Khan and underworld figures Dawood Ibrahim and Anuj Thapan. "I understand the essence of life, and consider wealth and the body as dust. I did only what was right, honouring the duty of friendship," the gang member wrote in the post. 

"Salman Khan, we did not want this war but you made our brother lose his life. Today the pool of decency of Baba Siddique is closed or at one time he was under MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) with Dawood. The reason for his death was his links to Dawood and Anuj Thapan in Bollywood, politics, and property dealings," the post said.