"Nobody could expect this would have happened to person who had Y category security": Ashoke Pandit on Baba Siddique's killing

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Pandit condemned the brutal attack and questioned how such an incident could happen to someone with "high-level security".

"Baba Siddiqui was a very dear friend of mine. A successful politician who had done enough work for people. Somebody who was a very loving person who had a good hold in his constituency. And an ever smiling, ever laughing person. Nobody could expect that this would have happened to a person like him, who had a Y category of security," the filmmaker said.

"Happening like this, somebody who has been given a proper security, a person who is a well-known person, who has always had people around him, and he's gunned down like this, is really a matter of concern. It's really a matter of concern for a common man, for people who live in this city of ours," he added.

The filmmaker also spoke on Siddique's close relationship with the film and television industry and shared that the politician was deeply "adored" by everyone in the entertainment world.

"It's a great loss to the industry also because he was very close to our film industry and television industry. People adored him, people were very close to him. We all had good terms with him. His personality as a politician was in politics but because of his charm, he was very close to our industry also. And that's how you saw in all his celebrations, I think more than half the industry used to be there. So my heartfelt condolences to his family, to his workers, to his followers," he said.

Appealing the government to ensure the safety of all citizens, the filmmaker said, "And I also would like to make an appeal to our Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and our Deputy CM, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, that security is a matter of concern and it should be taken seriously and it should be seen that every common man, it's not only about his status or his position, should be taken care."

Siddique was shot dead by unidentified attackers in Mumbai on Saturday evening. Siddique, a three-time MLA from Bandra West, had joined Ajit Pawar's NCP earlier in February this year after resigning from the Congress.

Mumbai Additional CP, Paramjit Singh Dahiya confirmed the arrest of two suspects.

"The incident occurred around 9:30 pm in Nirmal Nagar. Baba Siddique was taken to Lilavati Hospital after being shot. Two suspects have been arrested, and the Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating the case," Dahiya told reporters.

Mumbai Police said that they recovered the weapon used in the crime. "A 9.9mm pistol was used in the firing," officials said. (ANI)