Woman’s murder: Patna cops arrest shooter

PATNA: Twelve days after a woman,

Aarti

Devi alias Mona (34), was shot at in front of her residence at Ram Nagri Sector-III in

Ashiana Nagar

under the Rajiv Nagar police station area here, police on Sunday arrested the shooter,

Bhim

Yadav (22).

Aarti, who was associated with modelling industry, had succumbed to the bullet injury at

IGIMS

here on October 17.

Police sources said Yadav was arrested from Bhagwatipur village under the Udwantnagar police station area in Bhojpur district.

“Bhim is new to the crime world. Aarti’s murder was his first contract. However, his brother Arvind Yadav is accused in bike theft and scuffle cases,” the police sources said, adding Bhim was hired to kill Aarti at Rs 5 lakh. “Of the promised amount, Rs 1.5 lakh was already paid to Bhim,” they said.

Bhim had borrowed a bike from one of his friends to commit the crime. The bike was later seized by the police.

SHO of Rajiv Nagar police station, Saroj Kumar, said builder Raju Kumar’s wife

Sharda Devi

’s name has cropped up in the case after Bhim’s arrest.

“It has come to light that Sharda had hired Bhim to kill Aarti. It seems Aarti had an illicit relation with Sharda’s husband,” he said.

Police had first raided the flat of the builder at Chandrakutir Apartment on Ambedkar Path under the Rajiv Nagar police station area on October 13 following suspicion of his involvement in the case. However, nothing had surfaced then. However, police found a beer can inside a refrigerator in the builder’s house and arrested him.

City SP (central) Ambrish Rahul didn’t respond to several calls made by TOI. SDPO (law and order) Sanjay Kumar said senior police officers would brief the media regarding the case soon.