Big revelations in Baba Siddique murder as authorities arrest main accused

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Shiv Kumar Gautam, the main accused in the murder of Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique, has revealed significant details following his arrest in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich on Sunday. The 20-year-old disclosed his connection with Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, and explained how he fled the scene after carrying out the killing.

Shiv Kumar, along with four accomplices, was apprehended in Bahraich while attempting to flee to Nepal. He was one of the three gunmen involved in the murder of Baba Siddique outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Mumbai on October 12. While two other shooters, Gurnail Singh from Haryana and Dhramraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh, had been arrested earlier, Shiv Kumar had managed to escape.

During questioning, Shiv Kumar revealed that Anmol Bishnoi had instructed him to target either Baba Siddique or his son, Zeeshan. "Shoot whoever you see first," Anmol allegedly told him. Anmol, who is believed to be in Canada and remains on India's most-wanted list, had allegedly given Shiv Kumar a pep talk before the murder, claiming that the act was for "God and society." A photograph of Zeeshan Siddique was reportedly found on the phone of one of the shooters, further linking the plan to harm the Siddique family.

**Shiv Kumar’s Escape After the Murder**

Immediately after the shooting, Shiv Kumar changed his shirt to blend in with the crowd and avoid identification. He initially traveled to Kurla in an auto, then took a local train to Thane. From there, he headed to Pune, where he stayed for several days before traveling to Jhansi and Lucknow. In Lucknow, he bought a new mobile phone and made contact with his aides. After spending time there, he made his way to Bahraich, where he met with his associates and was ultimately caught. Shiv Kumar had reportedly planned to first flee to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, then to Vaishno Devi in Jammu, and eventually escape abroad. However, his escape was thwarted when the police tracked his movements across several states.

**How the Police Captured Shiv Kumar Gautam**

The breakthrough in the case came after the police traced over 45 people connected to Shiv Kumar, including his family and close associates. By monitoring their communications, the authorities identified four key individuals who had been in constant contact with Shiv Kumar. A joint operation between the Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai police led to his capture in the Nanpara area of Bahraich on Sunday. In addition to Shiv Kumar, four others—Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava, and Akhileshendra Pratap Singh—were arrested for aiding his escape and providing shelter. So far, 20 people have been arrested in connection with the murder case.

**Motive Behind the Murder**

Baba Siddique, aged 66, was reportedly targeted due to his close ties with actor Salman Khan. Lawrence Bishnoi’s associates have indicated that the motive was linked to an old grievance against Salman Khan for allegedly killing blackbucks, which are sacred to the Bishnoi community.