Indian politician with Bollywood connections shot dead in Mumbai ahead of important election

• Baba Siddique, a senior politician in Mumbai and a former member of the Indian National Congress Party, was fatally shot weeks before a crucial state election.
• The 66-year-old politician was shot multiple times outside his son’s office on Saturday evening and later died of his injuries at Lilavati Hospital.
• Siddique had recently switched his allegiance to a regional party ruling Maharashtra and was known for his close ties with Bollywood celebrities.

A senior politician in India’s financial capital Mumbai, who was also known for his close ties to Bollywood, was shot dead weeks before a crucial state election.

Baba Siddique, 66, was shot multiple times outside his son’s office in Mumbai on Saturday evening, police said in a statement. He later succumbed to his injuries at the city’s Lilavati Hospital.

Siddique was associated with the Indian National Congress Party for decades, but recently joined a regional party that governs the state of Maharashtra. He was also close to several Bollywood superstars and was known for throwing lavish parties.

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who belongs to the same political party as Siddique, said he was shocked by the murder.

“The incident is being investigated thoroughly and strict action will be taken against the attackers. The mastermind of the attack is also being investigated,” Pawar said in a statement.

Indian news agency Press Trust reported that two suspected attackers had been arrested and police were searching for another.

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Broadcaster NDTV said the two suspects claimed they were part of a criminal gang that had committed several murders in the past.

Elections in the state of Maharashtra are expected to take place in November.