Even as the number of arrests in NCP leader Baba Siddique’s murder case went up to nine, his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique on Friday shared a cryptic post on social media platform X.

Not all that is hidden sleeps,
Nor all that is visible speaks.

— Zeeshan Siddique (@zeeshan_iyc) October 18, 2024

On the same day, Zeeshan Siddique met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio in the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, and was apprised of the police probe so far into the murder of his father.

Earlier on Thursday, Zeeshan Siddique had demanded justice for his family, while also appealing that his father’s death should not be politicised and nor should it go in vain.

Baba Siddique was gunned down near Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Nirmal Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra area on October 12. Nine persons have been arrested in the case so far, including five held on Friday after raids in Panvel and Karjat in neighbouring Raigad district.

Meanwhile, a shooter of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed Baba Siddique was not a good man and had connections with India’s most-wanted criminal Dawood Ibrahim. 

Yogesh alias Raju (26), who is associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi-Hashim Baba gangs but not linked with Baba Siddique’s killing, said, “There were charges against him under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). It is said that he was associated with Dawood, the man behind the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. When people get involved with such individuals, something is bound to happen. This is exactly what happened to Siddique,” Raju claimed.

As investigation into the case continues and security for actor Salman Khan was ramped up after the 66-year-old NCP leader’s murder, police in Mumbai received a threat message demanding Rs 5 crore from Mr Khan, claiming to resolve his conflict with imprisoned gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The message also warned that if the demand is not met, “Salman Khan’s condition will be worse than Baba Siddique.”

An Israeli soldier involved in the operation that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, detailed the minutes he spent alone with Sinwar’s body after the mission. Lt Col Itamar Eitam recounted how he found Sinwar, lying in a dilapidated chair, describing him as “a small, ugly, and broken figure.” 

“I just left Rafah. Not long ago, I looked him – Sinwar  – in the eyes. I had a few minutes alone with him, and I looked at him – a small, ugly, and broken figure, lying on a shattered couch,” Lt Col Eitam wrote. 

“So much pain this man caused,” he wrote. “I looked at the ruined city, and I even felt pain for them, but more than anything, I felt insulted-insulted on behalf of God. Because he, too, was once a baby and a child, and he had a choice, and he chose evil. He chose wickedness. What an insult that he was also a person created in Your image. How distorted. How much better the world is now. We won’t be confused, and we won’t give up. Together we will win. Happy holiday,” he added. 

The killing of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, is a significant blow to Hamas. Israeli military officials confirmed that Sinwar was found and killed during a routine patrol in Rafah, southern Gaza, without prior intelligence of his whereabouts.

According to Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the patrol stumbled upon three militants, including Sinwar, as they moved through Rafah. Sinwar, after splitting from his group, took cover in a building, only to be tracked by drones. Video footage showed him attempting a final act of defiance, throwing a stick at the drone moments before Israeli forces neutralized him.

Forensic analysis confirmed Sinwar’s identity, with an autopsy revealing a gunshot wound to the head. No hostages were found near him. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sinwar’s death the potential “beginning of the end” of the war. However, families of hostages remain concerned, urging Israel to secure their release before any further escalation.

In the aftermath, Hamas acknowledged Sinwar’s death but vowed to continue its resistance, with the militant group stating his killing would only strengthen their resolve. 

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