In a significant breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Mumbai Police apprehended Shivkumar Gautam, alias Shiva, the primary suspect in the high-profile murder of Baba Siddique, as he attempted to escape across the Nepal border. The carefully coordinated operation, led by the UP STF?s Pramesh Kumar Shukla and Mumbai Crime Branch, successfully detained Shiva along with four accomplices who were allegedly assisting in his getaway.

Authorities intercepted Shiva on a bus along the Nepalganj-Nanpara route near Handa Basehari village, acting on an informant?s tip-off. Identifying Shiva and his companions through description matches, the officers halted the vehicle for a detailed inspection. The arrest involved Special Commissioner of Police (CP) Deven Bharti, Joint CP (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam, and DCF Dacta Nalawade. The group, including Anurag Kashyap, Gyan Prakash Tripathi, Akash Srivastava, and Akhilesh Pratap Singh, was subsequently taken for intensive interrogation at a nearby hotel, which lasted for over two hours before the suspects were moved to Delhi for further investigation.

The arrest has drawn attention to an alleged murder-for-hire plot involving Lawrence Bishnoi?s criminal network. According to investigators, Bishnoi?s brother, Anmol Bishnoi, reportedly promised Shiva a sum of Rs 10 lakh to carry out Siddique?s killing. Another key figure in Bishnoi?s operations, Shubham Lonkar, is believed to have facilitated the connection between Shiva and Anmol Bishnoi through Snapchat. Lonkar, along with associates Mohammad Yaseen Akhtar and Dharamraj Kashyap, reportedly provided Shiva with weapons, SIM cards, and burner phones, which enabled him to execute the fatal plan.

Siddique was murdered on October 12 in Mumbai, with Shiva and two other accomplices tracking him for days prior to the attack. The team used the crowd of a local festival as cover, executing the murder in close proximity to the scene. While Shiva?s accomplices were apprehended immediately after the crime, Shiva managed to escape, discarding his mobile phone to evade tracking. His escape route included stops in Pune, Jhansi, and Lucknow before reaching Bahraich, where he planned to cross into Nepal. Authorities believe Anurag Kashyap had arranged safe houses en route, coordinated by Akash, Gyan Prakash, and Akhilesh, allegedly part of Bishnoi?s extensive network.

Upon his arrest, officers recovered mobile phones, clothing, and other personal belongings from Shiva and his associates, indicating preparations for a prolonged stay outside India. The police now plan to bring Shiva back to Mumbai for detailed questioning, with an intensified focus on tracking down his support network, particularly Anurag Kashyap, Tripathi, and other individuals linked to Bishnoi.

The UP STF and Mumbai Crime Branch have hailed this arrest as a major step forward in dismantling Lawrence Bishnoi?s criminal syndicate, which investigators say has extended its reach into cross-border criminal activities.