5 shooters involved in Bihar scribe's murder arrested

The accused say a close aide of former RJD MP Shahabuddin gave them a supari to kill Ranjan, reports M I Khan from Patna.

Five shooters, including the main shooter Rohit Kumar, involved in the killing of senior journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in Bihar’s Siwan district were arrested on Wednesday, Additional Director General (police headquarters) Sunil Kumar said.

The Special Investigation Team and Siwan police have arrested the five shooters and the weapons (pistols) and three motorcycles used in the killing of Ranjan were also recovered from them.

“All five accused are in the age group of 20 to 25 years and are residents of Siwan district. They have confessed to their involvement in the incident. They have been further interrogated,” the ADG said.

“Rohilt told during interrogation that Laddan Mian has given him supari (contract) of Rs 15, 000 to kill Rajdeo," a senior police official said.

Ranjan, the Siwan bureau chief of Hindi newspaper Hindustan, a part of the HT Media, was shot dead in a busy market near Siwan Station Road on May 14.

Raids are being conducted to nab the remaining accused, the ADG said.

He said, so far, exact motive behind killing is not known. The ongoing investigation is also looking into the conspiracy angle in the case.

According to police officials, Laddan Mian, a close aide of former Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, seems to have given a supari (contract) to kill Ranjan.

"Now, speculation over Shahabuddin’s involvement in the killing has strengthened," the police said.

Laddan Mian was released on bail from Siwan jail barely ten days before Ranjan’s killing.

“The arrested shooters told police that they killed Ranjan after Laddan Mian gave them a supari. Efforts are on to arrest Laddan Mian,” the police said.

Kumar said country-made pistols were used in the killing.

Last week, Bihar Director General of Police P K Thakur had assured that shooters involved in killing of Ranjan will be arrested soon.

Thakur said ongoing investigation into the case suggested that a supari was given to kill the journalist. “The shooters appear to be contract killers,” he had said.

Earlier, the state police had detained over a dozen suspects in connection with the killing.

Police in Siwan said they are awaiting the forensic and ballistic reports.

The state government has constituted an SIT consisting of two deputy superintendents of police, three inspectors and five sub inspectors to nab the killers.

Last week, the Bihar government recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the incident.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have demanded a compensation of Rs 25 to 30 lakh for Ranjan’s family and free education for his two minor children.

Image: Shooter Rohit Kumar