3 held for 2 murders

PATNA: The district police on Monday arrested three persons in connection with the two murder cases in Naubatpur area on January 3 and 4. The arrested persons have been identified as Gulab alias Amitesh Kumar (23) and his associates Bharat Kumar (40) and Lalit Kumar (29), Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj said. The police also seized three pistols and 27 live cartridges from their possession.
Contract killer Gulab and his men shot Paras Nath (55), a social worker and land broker, in his house at Pali village in Naubatpur block on January 3 when he was watching television. A farmer Anjay Kumar was shot dead at his farm at Abhranchak village under the Naubatpur police station area on January 4.

A special team was formed by Naubatpur police to investigate the two cases. "During the interrogation, it was revealed that Anjay's brother Vijay Kumar had a rivalry with one Shailesh over land dispute during the election for ward councillor last year. To eliminate Vijay, Shailesh hired contract killer Gulab for Rs50,000. When the contract killers failed to track down Vijay, they planned to kill his brother Anjay," the SSP said.

"Paras was killed by Gulab as he had refused to pay extortion money. Paras was indulged in illegal timber business. All the accused will be produced in court and sent to jail," he said.