Baba Siddiqui Murder: Lawrence Bishnoi — Gangster Linked To Attack On Sidhu Moosewala, Salman Khan
Lawrence Bishnoi enjoys popularity on social media and reportedly hire youngsters from north Indian states through social media to carry out hit jobs.
Day after the shocking murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, the Mumbai Police have launched a probe from different angles, including contract killing and business rivalry.
Two people, identified as Gurmail Baljit Singh (23) from Haryana and Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19) from Uttar Pradesh have been arrested for the murder, that comes ahead of the Maharashtra assembly election.
66-year-old Baba Siddique is a popular name among political and Bollywood circles and was famous for his grand Iftar parties attended by top Bollywood actors, including Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. He was killed at Kher Nagar in Mumbai's Bandra area just outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office and shot at on Saturday night.
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The killing has brought the name of Lawrence Bishnoi in the limelight yet again. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder of the former Maharashtra minister.
Here is all you need to know about Lawrence Bishnoi and his alleged involvement in the Baba Siddiqui murder.
Lawrence Bishnoi's Involvement In Baba Siddique's Murder?
Hours after the shooting on Saturday, the Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the assassination through social media. The central agencies have started an investigation into the social media post, linked to a Facebook account belonging to Shubuu Lonkar. Lonkar is believed to be Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, an associate of the Bishnoi gang.
The viral post read, "Salman Khan, we did not want this fight, but you caused harm to our brother... Today, people are singing praises about Baba Siddique's decency, but at one time, he was associated with Dawood under the MCOCA Act. The reason for his (Baba Siddiqui's) death was his involvement in connecting Anuj Thapan and Dawood with Bollywood, politics, and property dealings. We have no enmity with anyone, but whoever helps Salman Khan and the Dawood gang should be prepared for consequences. If anyone causes harm to any of our brothers, we will definitely respond. We did not strike first."
Lawrence Bishnoi's Early Life
Lawrence Bishnoi was born in 1993 in the remote Dotaranwali village in the Abohar block of Firozpur district in Punjab and spent his early life in Abohar. However, his life took a dramatic turn when he moved to Chandigarh in 2010 to join DAV College.
During his study in Chandigarh, he crossed paths with Goldy Brar, another figure whose name would later become synonymous with criminal activity.
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Both Bishnoi and Brar entered into university politics and began engaging in crimes within the campus. Between 2010 and 2012, Bishnoi was involved in crime and several FIRs were filed against him for crimes including attempted murder, assault and robbery.
Bishnoi's First Imprisonment
Around 2013, Bishnoi’s gang engaged in liquor dealing and arms smuggling. He also sheltered murderers within his gang and provided them with protection and resources.
In 2014, he was involved in an armed encounter with the Rajasthan Police. He was later arrested after a high-speed chase. After being sent to jail, the gangster used this time to strategise and build a more organised and widespread criminal network.
Bishnoi's first stay in prison was in January 2015 after he was accused in cases related to rape, murder and car snatching. However, despite remaining in prison for around a decade under strict watch and police vigilance, Bishnoi is successfully executing murders and extortion around the world.
Why Is Lawrence Bishnoi Imfamous?
There are over 700 shooters of Lawrence Bishnoi gang across the country. He enjoys popularity on social media and reportedly hire youngsters from north Indian states through social media to carry out hit jobs. Bishnoi is currently lodged at Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad.
A report by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that Bishnoi and Goldy Brar have connections with pro-Khalistan outfits, raising concerns about their involvement in organized crime.
Links To Sidhu Moosewala's Murder
The 31-year-old Bishnoi became infamous after his associate Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala's murder in 2022. Moosewala was murdered on May 29 in Mansa, Punjab. Goldy Brar carried out the murder, operating from abroad, in collaboration with Bishnoi, who was then in New Delhi's Tihar Jail.
Firing Outside Salman Khan's Residence
In April this year, the Bishnoi gang was involved in a firing outside Salman Khan's Banda residence. The Mumbai Police claimed that the shooters were hired by Bishnoi’s gang. In an interview from Tihar Jail in 2023, Bishnoi had stated on camera that his only purpose in life was to kill Salman Khan.
In March last year, Khan’s manager had received a threat email, after which an FIR was registered against Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, and one Mohit Garg.
In December last year, right-wing leader Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi was shot dead in his Jaipur home. The murder, captured on video, showed three armed men having tea with Gogamedi before opening fire. Rohit Godara, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the assassination in a Facebook post.
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