Bihar man hired contract killer for father’s murder, said he was off to Goa

East Champaran SP Kumar Ashish said the suspect believed that his father was in a relationship with a tenant in Motihari and may transfer some parcels of land in her name

BETTIAH: Sanjay Kumar Thakur, the Bihar government staffer shot dead in East Champaran on his way to work on August 20, was killed by an assasin hired by his son, a senior Bihar Police officer said on Tuesday after the arrest of five men including the son, Ayush Kumar and the assasin who pulled the trigger.

Sanjay Kumar Thakur, a peon with Areraj sub divisional court, was shot dead on August 20 moments after he got off at the bus stop near the court. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

East Champaran superintendent of police (SP) Kumar Ashish said Ayush Kumar eliminated his father because he suspected that the father was in a relationship with their tenant in Motihari, the district headquarters, and was going to transfer some parcels of land to her.

Thakur, a peon attached with the Areraj sub divisional court, was shot dead on August 20 soon after he got off at the bus stop near the court.

Kumar Ashish said the police turned their attention to Ayush Kumar after spotting contradictions in his statements. “Ayush left his house a few days before the incident on the pretext of going to Goa. But he was present at Areraj,” he said. The SP added that investigators have been able to place the suspect in the area on the basis of his mobile phone records and found phone calls between Ayush and the contract killer, Harishankar Kumar.

Police said Ayush approached the Sagauli-based killer through his friend and allegedly agreed to pay ₹5 lakh. “A payment of Rs. 20,000 was made, and the remaining amount was to be paid after conclusion of the death-related rituals,” said a police officer.

Apart from Ayush Kumar and Harishankar Kumar, police said they have arrested three men - Ranjit Ram, Omprakash Ram and Ujjawal Kumar - and are looking for three more persons.

“In all eight persons have been found to be involved. Raids are on to arrest the three other accused,” said Kanchan Bhaskar, station house officer (SHO), Areraj police outpost.

Police have also seized a pistol, four live cartridges and five cellphones from their possession.