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The murder of Baba Siddique, a former three-time MLA, has taken a significant turn with the arrest of Pravin Lonkar, a young man from Pune. This arrest reveals connections to the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang, previously implicated in attacks against Salman Khan. Lonkar's brother, Shubham, was previously investigated for his links to the Bishnoi gang after a firing incident at Salman Khan's residence in April 2024. Although not directly linked to the attack, Shubham's communication with suspected Bishnoi gang members through WhatsApp and video calls raised concerns.
Following an Arms Act case in January 2024, where Shubham and Pravin were arrested for possessing illegal firearms, they were released on bail. The brothers then ran Lonkar Dairy in the Warje area of Pune. However, after Siddique's murder, Shubham allegedly posted on social media about the incident, claiming it was due to Siddique's past connections to Dawood Ibrahim and the death of Anuj Thappan, one of the accused in the Salman Khan attack. The post was quickly deleted, but it led the police to focus on the Lonkar brothers.
While Shubham remains on the run, Pravin has been apprehended in Pune. Meanwhile, two suspected shooters, Gurmail Singh and Dharmaraj Kashyap, have also been arrested. The police are currently searching for a third suspect, Shivkumar Gautam, and have named a fourth suspect, Mohamed Zeeshan Akhtar, suspected of working with the Bishnoi gang. The investigation has revealed that some of the shooters may have worked at Balaji Scrap Center, located near the Lonkar brothers' dairy.
Pune police, while not directly involved in the Mumbai police investigation, are actively monitoring developments in the case. They are keeping a close watch on the Lonkar dairy, the scrap center, and the brothers' residence in Pune. Meanwhile, Akola police conducted checks at the Lonkar brothers' house in Akot, but they had left the village months ago. This case highlights the interconnectedness of criminal networks across different parts of Maharashtra and the persistent threat posed by the Bishnoi gang.
Source: Baba Siddique murder: Suspect held in case was ‘checked’ after attack on Salman’s house