Police in Hajipur, Bihar have cracked open the conspiracy behind the murder of an army jawan and his father, revealing that the killing was not a sudden outburst but a planned attack. Two more people, identified as Pappu Kumar and a minor boy, have been arrested for their role in plotting and later hiding the main killer, and both have been sent to judicial custody.
What happened on July 12
On the morning of July 12, army jawan Jitendra Kumar and his father Munari Rai were shot dead in Hajipur following a dispute over a pathway. The attack was carried out by neighbour Jagdish Rai along with members of his family. Both the father and son died on the spot.
Jagdish Rai's encounter and arrest
A day later, on July 13, police tracked down main accused Jagdish Rai and shot him in both legs during an encounter before arresting him. While being taken away in a police vehicle, Jagdish Rai managed to snatch a weapon from one of the policemen and opened fire on the police team. Officers retaliated and shot him in both legs again, after which he was overpowered and taken into custody. He is currently undergoing treatment in hospital.
How the conspiracy came to light
At a press conference, police said the dispute over the land and pathway was old, but the plan to kill Jitendra Kumar and Munari Rai had been finalised well in advance. According to investigators, the conspiracy was hatched on July 10 itself, and the accused were simply waiting for the right opportunity. The moment Jitendra Kumar returned home and the pathway dispute flared up again, Jagdish Rai shot both father and son dead. This showed the attackers had been lying in wait for the opportunity for days.
Pappu Kumar's role in the plot
Police produced arrested accused Pappu Kumar before the media during the press briefing. He is a resident of Patna district. According to police, he was involved in planning the murder from the start. After the killing, it was Pappu Kumar who took charge of hiding Jagdish Rai and his associates in a safe location.
Minor sheltered the killer in a hostel
The arrested minor was not presented before the media and was sent straight to a juvenile court. Investigators found that the minor's father, Satyendra Rai, and killer Jagdish Rai were old friends who together ran a ganja smuggling business and had previously been jailed in connection with it. The minor was also found to be part of the conspiracy. Immediately after the murder on July 12, Pappu Kumar took Jagdish Rai and his associate straight from Hajipur to Patna. From there, the two were shifted to a boys' hostel in Patna where the minor was staying. In effect, the arrangement to hide the killer right after the murder had already been worked out in advance.
Investigation continues
The Hajipur police team is continuing to investigate the case. Conspirator Pappu Kumar and the minor have already been arrested and sent to judicial custody, while main accused Jagdish Rai remains under treatment in hospital after being arrested in the encounter. Police are now trying to establish whether anyone else was involved in the conspiracy.
