One held for murder of IndiGo manager in Bihar

The family of the murdered IndiGo Airlines’ station manager Rupesh Kumar Singh refused to accept the road rage theory and suspected the involvement of some high-profile persons in the murder.

Bihar Police on Wednesday claimed to have cracked the sensational murder of an airline official in the heart of Patna last month with the arrest of one person, who allegedly nursed a grudge after escaping serious injuries in an earlier accident involving the dead executive.

The incident took place in Punaichak locality, barely a kilometre from chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence and Raj Bhavan. (Getty images)

The family of IndiGo Airlines’ station manager Rupesh Kumar Singh, who was sprayed with bullets while he was inside his car outside his apartment on January 12, refused to accept the road rage theory and suspected the involvement of some high-profile persons in the murder. “I demand further investigation. The motive could not be just road rage,” Neetu Singh, the deceased’s wife, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The incident took place in Punaichak locality, barely a kilometre from chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence and Raj Bhavan.

According to the police, Rituraj alias Rohiraj Singh, 28, was arrested from Ram Krishna Nagar police station area of the state capital. A search is underway for the other three accused, it added.

Calling it a case of “blind murder”, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Upendra Sharma said that Rituraj, a graduate in Geography from Sunrise University in Rajasthan and the son of the owner of a brick kiln at Naubatpur in rural Patna, had hatched a conspiracy to kill Rupesh.

“In November last year, Rituraj’s two-wheeler collided with Rupesh’s SUV near the LJP state headquarters between JPN Airport and Patel Roundabout in Patna. A scuffle ensued between the duo, after which Rupesh threatened to hand over Rituraj to the cops. Rituraj ultimately left the spot as he was driving a stolen bike but noted Rupesh’s vehicle number,” the SSP said.

The accused later allegedly spotted Rupesh’s vehicle near Rajvanshi Nagar temple and followed him till near his residence. He even conducted a recce of the area four times ever since the incident took place.

The accused attempted to kill Rupesh four times before the January 12 murder, police said.

Neetu, however, said that her husband told her that no altercation had taken place with the accused after their vehicles collided.

Over 200 CCTV cameras, 4,000 call data records of cell phones that were activated in the area during the time of the incident were scanned and more than 75 people, including prominent contractor and a Janata Dal (United) leader, were interrogated in connection with the case, police said. Police also recovered a motorcycle with a forged number plate, additional number plate, countrymade pistol, four live cartridges and clothes which were used in the crime from the accused.