MUMBAI: The shooters involved in the killing of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique learned to handle firearms by watching YouTube videos, officials revealed on Wednesday.
Mumbai police's crime branch, currently investigating the case, found that suspected shooter Shivkumar Gautam, now on the run, first learned firearm handling during celebratory firings at weddings in Uttar Pradesh.
Two arrested suspects, Gurmail Singh and Dharmaraj Kashyap, disclosed that Gautam was hired for his expertise in firearms.
The group trained at a rented house in Kurla, practicing without bullets. Since they couldn't find a suitable space for live practice, they relied on YouTube videos for nearly four weeks to learn loading and unloading techniques.
Another alleged conspirator, Shubham Lonkar, had been under police surveillance until September 24, after being questioned in June about a shooting incident outside actor Salman Khan’s residence.
Shubham was suspected of having ties to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
In January, Shubham was arrested under the Arms Act in Akola, Maharashtra, where over ten firearms were seized. He was later released on bail.
He had also been in contact with Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol before disappearing on September 24.
The investigation further revealed that the accused used social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram to communicate, with Shubham recommending these apps to evade surveillance due to features like Snapchat's automatic message deletion.
Authorities continue their efforts to capture Gautam and uncover more details of the case.
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