One held for murder of IndiGo manager in Bihar

PATNA: Bihar Police on Wednesday claimed to have cracked the sensational murder of an airline official in the heart of Patna last month with the arrest of one person, who allegedly nursed a grudge following an accident involving the dead executive.

The family of IndiGo Airlines’ station manager Rupesh Kumar Singh, who was sprayed with bullets while he was inside his car outside his apartment on January 12, refused to accept the road rage theory and suspected the involvement of some high-profile persons in the murder. “I demand further investigation. The motive could not be just road rage,” Neetu Singh, the deceased’s wife, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The incident took place in Punaichak locality, barely a kilometre from chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence and Raj Bhavan.

According to the police, Rituraj alias Rohiraj Singh, 28, was arrested from Ram Krishna Nagar police station area of the state capital. A search is underway for the other three accused, it added.

Calling it a case of “blind murder”, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Upendra Sharma said that Rituraj, a graduate in Geography from Sunrise University in Rajasthan and the son of the owner of a brick kiln at Naubatpur in rural Patna, had hatched a conspiracy to kill Rupesh.

“In November last year, Rituraj’s two-wheeler collided with Rupesh’s SUV near the LJP state headquarters between JPN Airport and Patel Roundabout in Patna. A scuffle ensued between the duo, after which Rupesh threatened to hand over Rituraj to the cops. Rituraj ultimately left the spot as he was driving a stolen bike but noted Rupesh’s vehicle number,” the SSP said.

The accused later allegedly spotted Rupesh’s vehicle near Rajvanshi Nagar temple and followed him till near his residence. He even conducted a recce of the area four times ever since the incident took place. He tried to kill Rupesh four times before the January 12 murder, police said.