Four held in Jamshedpur murder case; prime accused injured in police encounter

Jamshedpur, Jul 9 (PTI) Four persons, including the prime accused who was injured in an alleged police encounter, have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district, police said on Thursday. Key accused Sarabjit Singh alias Shabe allegedly fired at the police team when he was taken to a forested area near Road No. 14 in Jawaharnagar under Mango police station limits to recover two firearms purportedly used in the murder, Senior Superintendent of Police (East Singhbhum) Ehtesham Waquarib told reporters. "During the search operation, Shabe picked up one of the two firearms and fired at the police team and tried to escape custody. The police personnel retaliated in self-defence, and he sustained bullet injuries," the SSP said. Shabe was admitted to the MGM Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment, he added. The four have been arrested in connection with the killing of Rahul Bachha, who was shot dead at Munshi Mohalla within Mango police station limits on Wednesday night. According to police, after shooting the victim, the accused allegedly assaulted him with stones and sticks to ensure his death. The other arrested accused were identified as Sourav Dutta alias Bangali, Aftab Ali alias Baba and Amarjeet Prasad alias Pandey. The SSP said Shabe, Aftab, Amarjeet and the victim had criminal antecedents. While eight criminal cases, including one of murder, were pending against Shabe, Aftab was named in six cases, while Amarjeet and Rahul Bachha had five cases each against them. Police recovered blood samples, a bloodstained shirt, a stone, bloodstained currency notes and other incriminating materials from the crime scene. An FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act on the complaint of the victim's brother, Raja Kumar. The motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained, and further investigation is underway, the SSP said. PTI BS MNB