Ranchi restaurant worker shot dead over extortion; 4 held

RANCHI: Four people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of a restaurant employee in Jharkhand’s Ranchi over an extortion demand, police said on Wednesday. The accused were apprehended after a brief gunfight with police near Kenduadih in Dhanbad on Monday, a senior officer said, accordint to news agency PTI. Two of them sustained gunshot injuries in their legs and are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, he added.“We arrested four henchmen of two gangs, who were involved in a firing incident at a restaurant near Birsa Munda Airport, for extorting money. The incident took place on March 7, and an employee of the restaurant, identified as Manish Gope, was shot dead," Ranchi City Superintendent of Police (SP) Paras Rana said. The accused had been on the run since the murder, he said. Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted a raid in the Bhagabandh area and arrested them, the SP added."During interrogation, the accused revealed that they attacked Gope after the restaurant owner refused to pay money on the directions of gangsters Prince Khan and Sujeet Sinha. Khan is currently operating his henchmen from the UAE, while Sinha, who operates the Koylanchal Shanti Sena gang, is in jail," the police officer said. During the operation, police seized two mobile phones, arms and ammunition, and the motorcycle used in the firing incident, he said. "Upon analysing the data of the mobile phones, it has come to light that 60 bank accounts have been used for transaction of ill-gotten money. The investigation is underway,” the SP said.