Three Youths Detained in Connection with Gangland-Style Daylight Murder
In a significant development following the brazen daylight assassination of alleged sharpshooter Shoaib Kidwai, Barabanki police have taken three youths into custody for intensive questioning. The detainees were apprehended from various locations across Lucknow late Friday night, with investigators focusing on their potential role in providing logistical support to the assailants who executed the meticulously planned attack.
Helmeted Duo Spotted in Reconnaissance Footage
Police officials examining CCTV evidence have revealed crucial footage showing two unidentified men wearing helmets conducting reconnaissance of Kidwai's movements shortly after he departed from Lucknow. The blurred but telling footage reportedly captures the helmeted duo riding a motorcycle in close proximity to Kidwai's Maruti Baleno around the time of the fatal incident.
The murder occurred between 1:00 PM and 1:30 PM on Friday along the busy Lucknow–Ayodhya highway service lane near Aseni. According to the investigation, motorcycle-borne assailants strategically waited for Kidwai's vehicle to slow down before pulling alongside and unleashing a coordinated barrage of gunfire. The attackers displayed chilling precision in their execution.
Critical Security Lapses and Suspicious Absences
Investigators have uncovered troubling security lapses surrounding the murder. Kidwai, who typically traveled with both a driver and a personal security aide when commuting between his Lucknow residence and Barabanki, was found alone in the driver's seat of his bullet-riddled vehicle. Both the driver and security aide claimed illness and fever as reasons for their absence, explanations that police found suspicious enough to warrant their detention for detailed interrogation.
Two additional individuals have also been taken into custody as investigators explore why someone with multiple disputes and known security risks would choose to travel without protection, and whether there was deliberate withdrawal of security support at the critical moment.
Investigation Challenges and Expanded Probe
The investigation faces significant challenges due to security camera failures at crucial locations. Police confirmed that no functional cameras were installed at the exact attack site, while CCTV cameras at a nearby Nayara petrol pump facing the highway were non-operational. Footage from other establishments including Sainik Dhaba and Kalika Haveli failed to clearly capture highway movements.
Barabanki Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya has constituted five specialized teams to investigate the case from multiple angles. Beyond the CCTV analysis, investigators are delving into Kidwai's past disputes, with particular focus on possible property-related conflicts that may have sparked the deadly rivalry.
Funeral Conducted Under Heavy Security
Following the completion of the post-mortem examination on Friday night, Kidwai's body was handed over to his family and kept at his Civil Lines residence. The family awaited the arrival of Kidwai's elder brother from London before proceeding with final rites. After his arrival around 4:00 PM on Saturday, the body was transported to their ancestral village Gadia, where last rites were performed under substantial police deployment.
Personnel from multiple police stations were stationed to maintain law and order during the funeral proceedings. Additional SP (North) Vikas Chandra Tripathi confirmed that investigation teams are examining all possible angles in this high-profile case that has drawn attention to gangland connections in Uttar Pradesh politics.
The murder victim, Shoaib Kidwai alias Bobby (52), was allegedly linked to late gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, adding political dimensions to what investigators suspect may be a deep-seated rivalry turned deadly. Police are now attempting to trace the registration number of the motorcycle seen in the CCTV footage to identify the helmeted suspects.
