Baba Siddique shared a close association with Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who had previously received threats from associates of Lawrence Bishnoi, warning that he would meet the same fate as slain singer Sidhu Moosewala.

On April 14, two shooters had fired five rounds outside Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartment in Bandra in the early hours. Mumbai Police in a chargesheet filed by the crime branch revealed that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi personally communicated with shooters Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal hours before they fired shots outside Salman Khan’s Bandra residence.

Both the shooters, currently in judicial custody spoke to Bishnoi via the Signal app, police had said.

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Baba Siddique has been at the forefront in expressing concern and pushing for enhanced security for Salman Khan ever since the actor began receiving threats.

Officials told HT that the Mumbai Police was looking into the involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang because of the leader’s close association with Salman Khan.

Recently, a burqa-clad woman reportedly threatened actor Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, using the name of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

Baba Siddique was waylaid by three men at Kher Nagar in Mumbai just outside his son’s office around 9.30pm on Saturday and shot at. He was taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he was declared dead.

A prominent Muslim leader from Mumbai, Baba Siddique was also known be close to several Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

Baba Siddique, a three-time MLA from Bandra West, had joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP earlier in February this year after resigning from the Congress.

The police said two persons from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have been arrested, while the third accused is absconding.

The police said Baba Siddique had received a threat to his life 15 days ago, after which his security was beefed up to the Y category.