Baba Siddique Murder Investigation: Shooters Practiced Firing at Karjat Waterfall Days Before The Mumbai Shootout

Mumbai: As fresh details emerge in the ongoing investigation into the high profile killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique, Mumbai Police Crime Branch learnt that the shooters had simply not done recce before the shoot out but had also done practiced firing to achieve precision. According to Crime Branch sources the three accused shooters practiced firing at a waterfall near Parsadari village, close to Karjat, just days before the assassination.

According to the Crime Branch, the shooters visited the village in the second week of September 2024 and fired approximately 30 rounds as part of their practice. Shiv Kumar Gautam, Gurmel Singh, and Dharamraj Kashyap reportedly chose the remote waterfall location to ensure the sound of gunfire would not attract attention of people. Following the practice session, the shooters had returned to their rented accommodation in Kurla, Mumbai.

Based on this information, the Crime Branch had conducted a site visit to the waterfall with two of the shooters, Dharamraj and Gurmel for the purpose of reconstruction of the scene, sources claim, more evidences have been gathered and collected by the officers.

How They Travelled?

The shooters traveled to Karjat by local train from Kurla and, upon reaching Karjat station, took an auto-rickshaw ride to the scenic location, according to officials. While the area is isolated, the place also sees scarce footfall of tourists. “They spoke with an auto driver, without being specific about the location. Probably they themselves weren’t aware of the exact location. Later they inquired about a waterfall, after which the auto driver took them to the remote location, 8 km from Karjat on the Khopoli road. Each shooter practiced firing 10 rounds at the site”, said an officer.

Further investigations have revealed that this was not the first time the accused practiced firing. In August, while planning Baba Siddique's murder, the shooters reportedly stayed in Karjat for a night and practiced shooting in another village with the help of the Nitin Sapre gang, which also had allegedly supplied the weapons.

Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra Minister, was shot dead in the night of October 12 outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Mumbai's upscale Bandra area. So far 10 people have been arrested by the Crime Branch. Bhagwat Singh Om Singh (32), was the tenth man to be arrested by the investigating agency on Sunday for allegedly or allegedly providing a weapon to the shooters. The main shooter, Shivkumar Gautam, and two other persons involved in the murder conspiracy are on the run and the man hunt continues, according to officials.​