4 arrested in connection with man's murder in Ranchi over land dispute

Ranchi: Jharkhand Police arrested four persons in connection with the Madhusudan Rai murder case even though the main perpetrator is still absconding, officials said on Friday.

Rai was shot dead on December 15 last year in Ranchi’s Namkum area over a dispute involving an eight-acre plot.

"One of Madhusudan’s relatives, Umesh Rai, orchestrated the murder to acquire the land," Ranchi SSP Chandan Sinha said.

The arrested were identified as Manvel Khalko, Ashok Singh, Rajkishor Rai, and Deepak Kumar Rai. However, Rai is still at large, the SSP added.

According to a police statement, Umesh had been planning the murder since September last year. He purchased a motorcycle for shooter Manvel Khalko, which was used during the crime.

"According to the confessional statements of the arrested criminals, it was revealed that Deepak Kumar Rai, Rajkishor Rai, and others conducted a recce of Madhusudan and informed Ashok Singh, who then passed on the information to Umesh Rai," the statement said.

"Subsequently, Umesh, along with Khalko, chased Madhusudan on the motorcycle. They fired 10 bullets at him on the ring road, killing him." The statement further revealed that Umesh had previously made two attempts to kill Madhusudan.

In 2008, the accused had fired at him, but the bullets hit Madhusudan’s wife, resulting in her death. Another attempt was made in 2016, though it was unsuccessful, the statement said.