Delhi: 2 contract killers arrested for murder of 28-yr-old

New Delhi: Two contract killers have been arrested for allegedly killing a 28-year-old man for Rs seven lakh in Harsh Vihar area last year, police said on Friday.

The Delhi police commissioner had declared a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for providing any clue leading to their arrest.

The murder was the fallout of an old rivalry between the families of the deceased and those who had hired contract killers over a piece of land in their ancestral village.

In October last year, the body of Shakir was found in Jain Colony, Harsh Vihar with bullet injuries, said Pramod Singh Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

The deceased was identified by one Shri Hakim who belonged to the same village as the former. Hakim told the police that he had come to Delhi with Shakir who wanted to take some money from someone.

"Upon reaching Delhi, two persons met them at Kashmere Gate metro station. Out of these two, one was Bane Singh as introduced to Hakim by Shakir. Singh and his associate took them to a place where Singh shot Shakir from behind while Hakim escaped," said Kushwah.

"A team, led by ACP Lalit Mohan Negi, inspector Sanjay Gupta and inspector Rajesh Kumar deployed informers to develop information about the unknown killers. Yesterday, they got a tip-off about the accused after which Durgesh and Vishan Singh aka Bane Singh were arrested at Loni roundabout in Jyoti Nagar," said the officer.

During preliminary interrogation, the accused told the police that they were hired by Shaukat and Jafru of Goverdhan village in Mathura for Rs seven lakh, the DCP said.

"The accused have received Rs two lakh as part payment till date. Shaukat and his other family members along with hired killers had allegedly murdered other family members of Shakir including his elder brother Fakru, who was hospitalised for six months after the gunshot injury," said the officer.

Due to Shaukat and his family's terror, Shakir's family are hiding in Haryana after escaping their native village and abandoning their property, he said.

Both Shaukat and Jafru and their other associates are wanted in a number of cases including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping among others, the officer added.