Mumbai:

Investigation into the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique has revealed details of the planning behind the operation which included the acquisition of a substantial cache of bullets, YouTube firearms training, and the careful orchestration of getaway plans. The plotters aimed to ensure the murder was executed with precision, taking no chances on ammunition or escape routes.

So far, four individuals have been arrested, including Haryana resident Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), both alleged shooters; Harishkumar Balakram Nisad (23), and “co-conspirator” Pravin Lonkar, who belongs to Pune.

Nisad and Kashyap belong to the same village as the wanted accused Shivkumar Gautam. 

According to police sources, the accused responsible for Mr Siddique’s murder – Gurmail Singh (23) and Dharamaraj Kashyap (19) – were equipped with 65 bullets, a stockpile intended to guarantee they would not run out of ammunition. Six of these bullets were fired on the night of October 12, when Mr Siddique was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in the Nirmal Nagar area in Bandra.

Authorities have recovered two firearms used by the accused – an Austrian-made pistol and a locally manufactured country-made pistol. Alongside these weapons, police found 28 live bullets on Singh and Kashyap at the time of their arrest. The investigative team also discovered a black bag, located just a short distance from the murder site, containing a Turkish-made 7.62 bore pistol and 30 live rounds. This bag also held two Aadhar cards – one in the name of Shivkumar Gautam, who is also a suspect in the case, and another under the name Sumit Kumar, though both cards bore Shivkumar’s photo.

Motorbike Plan Foiled By Accident

According to the police, the accused had initially planned to carry out the attack using a motorbike. The idea was for the shooters to ride up to the location, execute the murder, and then escape quickly by bike. However, a traffic accident involving two of the suspects caused them to abandon this plan. Instead, the three perpetrators decided to travel by auto-rickshaw to the site of the crime. After the murder, they quickly changed their clothes to avoid detection.

Harishkumar Balakram Nisad, one of the arrested co-conspirators, had transferred Rs 60,000 for the purchase of a motorbike. Out of this amount, Rs 32,000 was used to buy a second-hand bike, which was intended to be used in the assassination.

Manhunt And Escape Attempts

The investigation has revealed the involvement of several suspects, with the prime accused, Shubham Lonkar, an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who is still at large. Mumbai Police have issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Lonkar, who is believed to be attempting to flee to Nepal. His photographs have been circulated at the Nepal border in an effort to prevent his escape.

Lonkar had remained active on social media until just three days before the murder, with responsibility for Mr Siddique’s killing reportedly being claimed via his Facebook profile on October 9. His brother, Praveen Lonkar, has been arrested for allegedly providing financial support to the killers. 

Authorities have not yet managed to track down Shubham’s exact location, but intelligence suggests he may have been in contact with key criminal networks. 

YouTube Training And Firearm Mastery

According to the police, the shooters learned to operate guns by watching YouTube tutorials. In the weeks leading up to the murder, the accused rented a house in the Kurla area of Mumbai, where they practised loading, unloading, and handling weapons. Due to a lack of open space, they engaged in “dry practice” drills and rehearsing with unloaded guns.

Investigations also revealed that Shivkumar Gautam, another prime suspect, had experience with firearms from celebratory firings at weddings in Uttar Pradesh, where he is believed to have honed his shooting skills. Gautam, described as the “main shooter,” not only participated in the planning but also trained Kashyap and Singh in the handling of guns. The trio communicated frequently via social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, using these apps to stay under police radar while coordinating the assassination plan.

Shubham Lonkar, the key suspect on the run, was previously arrested in January under the Arms Act in Maharashtra’s Akola district. His arrest had led to the seizure of more than ten firearms. 

Over the last four years, M. Shahrukh Khan has been one of the most sought-after names in the IPL, securing megabuck deals despite being an uncapped player. The 29-year-old is known for his big-hitting capabilities down the order which teams value immensely. With the mega auction not far away, this year could be pivotal for the Tamil Nadu player as it could set the tone for the next three years of his career.

After a sub-par domestic season for TN in the white-ball tournaments last year, Shahrukh found a new home at Gujarat Titans in the IPL this year. He scored 127 runs at a healthy strike rate of 169.33, including a maiden IPL half-century, and the all-rounder feels the stint at the Titans has helped him evolve into a better batter.

Cast in the role of a finisher for Punjab Kings (2021-2023) and Gujarat Titans this year, Shahrukh’s IPL numbers might not put him in the spotlight, considering he walks in as the innings approaches its climax and is expected to tee off from the get-go.

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But looking under the hood, there is a case to be made that the swashbuckling batter has given a reasonable account of himself in the last two years of India’s premier cricketing context, striking at a brisk pace. At the same time, there have been some shortcomings, indicating Shahrukh has yet to maximise his potential.

While he has shown great ability to clear the ropes effortlessly, especially against pacers in the death overs, he has found it hard to replicate the same against the spinners. But this year, he believed he has addressed it better and become a more complete batter.

“During the camp before the tournament, I worked hard on my game against spinners. Vikram Solanki and Mithun Manhas helped me improve, and it has opened up more scoring opportunities for me,” said Shahrukh in a chat with The Hindu.

According to him, a minor technical change has enormously impacted his game. “Vikram sir asked me to have a forward press when batting against the spinners. It has helped me play off the front and back foot, opening up the possibility of playing the cut and pull shots.

“Previously, I had a stable base and relied on timing and power. It was the best way to play the quicker bowlers in the back end of an innings. But against the spinners, I had only one shot, and the bowlers looked to take pace off their deliveries to me.

“This change helped me be ready earlier for the ball. At times, when you are playing against the spinners, you can react a bit late by staying too still.”

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He further explained that the forward press helped him get under the ball’s trajectory. “Since I am tall, I used to stand upright. As a result, I was over the trajectory of the ball, and missed its flight. Now, with the forward press, I can get under the ball, and step out when it’s flighted,” he added.

Shahrukh says these small changes have given him the confidence to play higher up the order, and he even batted number four for the Titans in a few matches. The numbers reflect his contention of being an improved player against spin.

While his overall strike rate against pace in his IPL career is 161.11, it drops precipitously to 112 against spin. But this year, his strike against pace and spin has almost converged to similar levels of 169.76 and 168.75, respectively, showing the fruit of his efforts. His boundary percentage, too, has improved, scoring one per every four balls.

As he prepares for the new season, Shahrukh has started well in the TNPL, scoring three half-centuries in six games and guiding his team, Lyca Kovai Kings, into the playoffs yet again with five wins in six games.

“I am feeling good. I have been batting well and coming up higher in the order this year because I am confident against spin. It will also help the team,” says Shahrukh as he looks to lead his side to a hat-trick of titles.

He has also picked up from where he left last year in another aspect of his game. In 2023, the all-rounder topped the wicket charts in the competition and has continued to impress with his tidy off-spin bowling this year, taking 11 scalps so far, placing him second on the leaderboard.

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“I have always enjoyed bowling and done a lot right through age categories. We have an excellent spin attack in TN, so I don’t get to bowl a lot. But whenever I get a chance, I have given breakthroughs. Now, I can take wickets and contain runs, which will be an advantage for me in the IPL.”

In 2022, Shahrukh got to the fringes of the national team when he was called up as a back-up during a home series against West Indies, and he now feels confident that he is a more well-rounded cricketer ready to take the next step. “I think I had a good IPL and made an impact in whatever chances I got. The numbers I have must also be seen in the context of where I bat, and (Ashish) Nehra was happy with what I have done. I am 100 % certain I can get back in the reckoning in the next three years.”

Srinagar:

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s latest release “Jawan” was screened at a cinema hall in north Kashmir’s Handwara, once known for being a transit route of terrorists infiltrating from across the Line of Control.

The make-shift cinema hall was inaugurated in Handwara last month with the screening of Shah Rukh-starrer 2007 sports drama “Chak De India”.

The screening of “Jawan” was attended by a large number of people, including youngsters and district officials.

Directed by Tamil filmmaker Atlee, “Jawan” was released worldwide on September 7 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

The high-octane action thriller also features Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi as well as Deepika Padukone in a special appearance.

“Jawan”, a father-son story at its core, highlights various social and political issues through its hero, essayed by Shah Rukh.

The film also stars Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Girija Oak, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Lehar Khan, Aaliyah Qureshi, Ridhi Dogra, Sunil Grover and Mukesh Chhabra as well as Sanjay Dutt in a cameo appearance.

A Red Chillies Entertainment presentation, “Jawan” is produced by Gauri Khan and co-produced by Gaurav Verma. The film has raised Rs 574.89 crore gross in five days at the worldwide box office.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)