Baleshwar: Baleshwar Police have arrested six alleged contract killers in connection with the sensational broad-daylight murder of a businessman in the busy Arad Bazar area under Sahadevkhunta police limits and seized firearms and live ammunition from their possession.
The arrested accused have been identified as Maheswar Behera and Deepak Behera, both residents of Saraswati Pur under Remuna police limits; Papun Singh and Rajesh Patra of Arad Bazar; Dipak Patra of Sambalpur under Industrial police limits; and Bijay Mahalik of Galapolo.
Addressing a press conference Monday, Superintendent of Police Pratyush Diwakar said the six accused were apprehended during the investigation, while another person allegedly involved in the crime subsequently surrendered before the police.
According to the SP, preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were allegedly hired as contract killers to eliminate businessman Sk Hamid for a payment of Rs 2 lakh each. The murder was allegedly planned about a month before the crime.
To evade police surveillance, the accused communicated through social media platforms instead of conventional phone calls, the SP said. Hamid, who was engaged in several businesses, including land broking, was shot dead at point-blank range by two assailants in full public view in the crowded Arad Bazar area at around 3 pm June 25.