Four nabbed in Bihta jeweller murder case

PATNA: Four persons with two having criminal antecedents were arrested with arms and ammunition from village Bhagwatipur under Shahpur police station area in western Patna late Friday night for their alleged involvement in the murder of jeweller Mantu Kumar Gupta (40) inside his shop at Bihta recently.
Those arrested have been identified as Deepak Jha of Shivala Mor, Arun Sharma of Badi Khagaul Devi, Vishal Kumar alias Alok Raj of Mukhdumpur in Shahpur and Pankaj Kumar of Adampur in Danapur. They are in their late 20s.
Police also recovered two countrymade pistols, four live cartridges and three bikes used in the crime from their possession. Gupta was sitting inside his shop named Maa Vindhyawasini Jewellers when six criminals came on three bikes and shot him dead on August 10.
Patna SSP Upendra Kumar Sharma told the mediapersons on Saturday that the criminals had planned to loot jewellery from the shop but they found the iron locker shut after which they shot the owner dead while hurrying for loot.
The SSP said at least two more accused, who hail from Bihta, were yet to be arrested in the case. He said Vishal is an accused in two criminal cases registered with Shahpur police station and one with Bihta police station.
He said Deepak is also accused in cases of dacoity, robbery, illegal arms possession and liquor smuggling registered with Bihta, Shahpur and Digha police stations.