A key suspect in the Gopal Khemka murder case was shot dead in a gunfight with police in the Damaria Ghat area of Patna in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.
The 29-year-old suspect – identified as Vikas alias Raja – was also wanted in connection with several other criminal cases, they added.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team investigating the industrialist’s murder reached Damaria Ghat at 2.25 am in search of Vikas, an officer said.
“On spotting the police personnel, he attempted to flee and opened fire. The officers retaliated, and he was killed,” the police officer said.
No police personnel were injured in the encounter, he added.
A pistol, one spent cartridge, and a live cartridge were recovered from the site, the officer informed.
His body has been sent to Nalanda Medical College for post-mortem examination.
“It is suspected that Vikas, a resident of the Malslami locality of the city, supplied the weapon used in the murder of Khemka,” he said.
Police have already arrested the gunman, identified as Umesh Rai, and detained another individual suspected of hiring the contract killer.
“The contract killer was arrested in Patna. The investigation is ongoing. We will share further details in due course,” the official added.
Gopal Khemka was shot dead outside his residence in the Gandhi Maidan area of the city on Friday morning. Seven years ago, his son was also murdered in Hajipur.
The ruling JD(U) commended the police and declared that under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership, no criminal would be spared.
“Bihar Police have made a major breakthrough and nearly cracked the case. The contract killer has been arrested, and another accused was killed in a police encounter. The police have done a commendable job,” said JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad.
“I must tell the opposition that under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, anyone found involved in criminal activity will not be spared under any circumstances. The CM monitors every incident,” he added.
Meanwhile, Vikas’s mother said she was unaware of any crime committed by her son and claimed he had been working in Chennai.
“What did my son do? He used to work in Chennai…,” she said.
Businessman Gopal Khemka was gunned down near the main gate of his residence in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan area on July 4. He had reportedly requested police protection for his family.
Khemka’s son Gaurav had in his statement to the police said that the industrialist’s brother, Gunjan, was also murdered in 2018.
“After this incident, my family and I are frightened. We request that the government and police provide us with security and ensure the safety of our family. Also, the perpetrators should be arrested and punished,” he wrote to the police.
Gaurav said his father had gone to the Bankipore Club around 8.30 pm. When he returned home at 11.20 pm, assailants who were already waiting at the gate, shot him in the head.
He added that after hearing the gunshot and being alerted by the building guard, he and his wife rushed to the gate. There, they found Gopal Khemka lying in a pool of blood. Gaurav said they rushed him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The Bihar Police had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)