The CCB police have arrested nine men for the murder of rowdy Vijay Kumar alias Kavala, 43, on Thursday. 

The suspects were identified as Nakara Babu, Sunil Gowda, Arun Kumar, Satish Reddy, Narendra, Chethan Kumar, Muniraju and Vishwanath.

Babu was Kavala’s ex-associate and had helped the police in arresting him a year ago. Kavala has been plotting to settle scores with him ever since.

Aide killed

Recently, he had carried out an attack on Babu and some time later, Kavala had even owed to murder Babu. A few months ago, Kavala’s close aide, who turned a rival later, was found murdered near Hosur.

Babu used the advantage of rift among a few associates of Kavala, mobilised all his rivals, then masterminded and executed the murder, said the police.

It is said that Kavala’s bête noire Kutty had given the contract to Babu to execute the murder, the police added.