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From failed Army aspirant to absconder: Who is Rohit Shetty firing accused Shubham Lonkar

One of the shooters in the Baba Siddique case had told the police during his interrogation that Shubham Lonkar was heavily influenced by ‘religion’ and ‘nationalism’ and brainwashed him into targeting Siddique by claiming that it would be akin to a ‘patriotic act’.

2 min readMumbaiUpdated: Feb 1, 2026 09:42 PM IST

Shots were fired outside Bollywood filmmaker Rohit Shetty's Juhu bungalow in Mumbai Sunday. (File Photo)

Within an hour of the firing outside the Juhu bungalow of Bollywood director Rohit Shetty on Sunday, a message was posted on a Facebook page named ‘Shubham Lonkar Aarzoo Bishnoi’ claiming responsibility for the attack.

The name of the Pune-based Shubham Lonkar, 32, raised eyebrows as he is an absconding accused in the Baba Siddique murder case and was also the person who had claimed responsibility on social media following Siddique’s murder.

When the police began an investigation into the Baba Siddique murder case, they found that Lonkar had been arrested by the Akola police in January 2024 in a case involving the supply of arms.

The police found messages between him and gangster Lawrence Bishnoi – lodged at Sabarmati prison – and his brother Anmol, who was then believed to be out of the country. Lonkar was later released on bail and, thereafter, went absconding.

During his interrogation by the Akola police, Lonkar had said he wanted to join the Army. He, however, failed the Army recruitment test held in Jaisalmer in 2018-19.

Shubham Lonkar (in pic) failed the Army recruitment test held in Jaisalmer in 2018-19. (File Photo)

As per the police, he met a person in Jaisalmer called Bajra, who told him that if he wanted to work for the country, he could introduce him to someone who would help him. In this manner, he was introduced to the Bishnoi gang.

Later, as per the police, Lonkar was also sent to Nepal and Azerbaijan, where he received arms training by the Bishnoi gang. Lonkar then returned to his home base, Pune, where he ran a dairy with his brother and upon receiving instructions that some shooters were needed, he brainwashed youngsters.

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One of the shooters in the Baba Siddique case, Shiv Kumar Gautam, had told the police during his interrogation that he was working in the shop near Lonkar’s dairy and would move around with Lonkar’s gang.

Lonkar was heavily influenced by ‘religion’ and ‘nationalism’ and brainwashed Gautam into targeting Siddique by claiming that it would be akin to a ‘patriotic act’, Gautam had told the police.

Mohamed Thaver

Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems. Experience & Authority Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field. Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus. Key Beats: Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch. Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force. Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict. Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations. Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed. Credentials & Trustworthiness Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order. He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read More

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