New Delhi: The three men who shot dead three-time MLA Baba Siddique as he left his son MLA Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Bandra East were initially thought to be mobile thieves as they fled through a Durga Puja procession after firing at the politician from close range, according to a Times of India report.
They incapacitated the police guard assigned for Siddique’s security with pepper spray, and fled the scene. They rushed past the crowd of devotees, and entered the Children’s Park, which was located 25-30 meters away. It was only after they saw Siddique lying in a pool of blood on the ground near his vehicle and spotted the assailants running into the park did they realise what exactly had happened.
A police team from Nirmal Nagar deployed nearby surrounded the park where the assailants had fled. The team had received wireless messages from their senior from the police station. An officer said that in the beginning, everyone got the impression that they were mobile thieves. Two of them could be seen entering the park while a third melted into the crowd, he added. The team chased the two armed accused to the Children’s Park near the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training Regional Office. Every corner of the park was combed. Pitch darkness made the combing difficult.
All assailants were carrying chilli powder, pepper spray
After 25 minutes, one team was able to nab Dharmaraj Kashyap, 19, as he was attempting to climb the barbed wire boundary wall to escape. Another team arrested Gurnail Singh, 23, who surrendered. Two Glock automatic pistols and four magazines containing at least 28 bullets were seized from them, the police told TOI. The third shooter, Shivkumar Gautam from Uttar Pradesh, is still at large.
According to the cops, the assailants apparently took advantage of the firecrackers being burst and the teeming crowd on the street during the procession.
According to some reports, all the three assailants had chilli powder and pepper spray with them. When Shivkumar shot six bullets at Baba Siddique, they threw chilli powder at the police constable guarding the former MLA. It is believed that only Shivkumar knew who the masterminded the killing.
