In a breakthrough in the Mirzapur lawyer murder case, police have arrested Rajendra Sonkar after a dramatic encounter, bringing a key suspect to justice and intensifying the search for the remaining accomplice.
Police arrested a man wanted in connection with the murder of a lawyer here following an encounter, an official said on Sunday.
The accused Rajendra Sonkar, a resident of Devri Virohi, was arrested on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday after being intercepted by a police team at the Robertsganj Tiraaha (tri-section), police said, adding that a total of six criminal cases are registered against the accused, and a reward of Rs 50,000 was announced for his arrest in connection with this case.
Superintendent of Police Aparna Rajat Kaushik said lawyer Rajiv Singh (40) alias Rinku, a resident of Devri Virohi area, was shot dead in Sadbhavnanagar under Katra police station limits, on Saturday morning.
A case was registered in this connection under sections 103(1) (murder), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 352 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 3(5) (common intent) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 7 (obstructing business) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932, at the Katra police station against two accused, and five teams were constituted to arrest them, the official said.
On Saturday night, when a team was conducting checks of suspicious persons and vehicles at the Robertsganj Tiraaha, an individual spotted the police and attempted to flee. The police chased him. Around 1 km past the tri-section -- near PAC Gate -- the accused opened fire at the team. Police retaliated, and the accused sustained gunshot injuries on both of legs.
The official said police have recovered the motorcycle used in the crime, along with two country-made pistols and ammunition from the accused.
The other accused is absconding and efforts are on to nab him, the official said, adding that further investigation is ongoing.