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A key suspect in the murder of industrialist Gopal Khemka was killed in a gunfight with the police in Patna’s Damaria Ghat area in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.
According to PTI, Vikas alias Raja (29), the suspect, was wanted in several other criminal cases as well, they said.
Acting on a tip-off, the team of officers probing the murder case reached Damaria Ghat around 2.25 am in search of Vikas, an official said.
“On spotting the police personnel, he tried to escape and also opened fire. The officers retaliated, and he was killed,” the police official said.
No police personnel sustained any injury, he added.
A pistol, a spent and a live cartridge were recovered from the spot, the official said.
“It is suspected that Vikas provided the weapon that was used in the murder of Khemka,” he said.
Police have already arrested the gunman, identified as Umesh Rai, and detained another person who is suspected of hiring the contract killer.
“The contract killer was arrested from Patna. The investigation is in progress. We will share more details in due course,” said the official.
The killing has shocked the political circles and put a put question mark on CM Nitish Kumar’s law and order boast with state polls round the corner.
Earlier, The Bihar police have arrested the alleged mastermind behind the killing of prominent Patna businessman Gopal Khemka.
Builder Ashok Sah was arrested from his home in Patna.
A senior police officer said Sah was arrested after his name was revealed to the police by Umesh Kumar, the shooter who killed Khemka late on Friday evening. Umesh, who was arrested on Monday, was paid Rs 350,000 to kill Khemka.
The police claim Sah hired Umesh to murder Khemka because of a business dispute or rivalry. They are yet to establish a motive for the crime.
The Bihar police confirmed on Tuesday the killing of a criminal, Vikas alias Raja (29), in an early morning encounter in Patna in connection with the Khemka killing.
