Ara: Bhojpur police on Saturday evening arrested two relatives of a 36-year-old hardware trader, who was shot dead by bike-borne assailants in Ara earlier in the day. Police said a family land dispute was reason behind the killing.The arrested accused were identified as Rajesh Kumar Singh, a cousin of the deceased, and Vijay Singh, his uncle. Police also seized a country-made pistol, seven live cartridges and two magazines from them.The deceased, Upendra Kumar Singh, son of late Baiju Singh, a retired Army jawan, was returning home on his scooter after dropping his two children at school when he was attacked near the Sun Temple and Bihari Mill overbridge under Nawada police station area on Saturday morning.Ara Sadar SDPO-1 Sushil Kumar told a news conference late Saturday evening that Rajesh was the main accused in the case. “Police have arrested the main accused, Rajesh Kumar Singh, and his accomplice Vijay Singh in hardware trader Upendra Kumar Singh’s murder case,” Kumar said.SDPO said Rajesh allegedly shot Upendra, while Vijay helped him carry out the crime. Upendra was shot in the head at close range and was declared brought dead at Ara Sadar Hospital.A native of Badiha village under Sandesh police station in Bhojpur district, Upendra owned a hardware and paint shop in Bahiro locality of Ara. He had been living in Gautam Budh Nagar on Godhna Road under Ara Nawada police station area for the past 20 years.Soon after the shooting, SDPO Kumar, Nawada SHO Kumar Rajnikant and other police personnel reached the spot and later visited the hospital, where they questioned family members about the possible motive.Upendra’s mother, Bacho Devi, had told police that the family was embroiled in a dispute with some relatives over 10 kathas of land in Badiha village. She named several relatives whom she suspected of involvement in her son’s murder. She also referred to a dispute over money borrowed by her son but said she was unaware of the details.Police had earlier said CCTV footage from cameras installed on both sides of the road near the crime scene could provide clues to the assailants.
