Jhansi: Police arrested two accused, including a contract killer, during an encounter on Sunday in connection with the sensational murder of a property dealer and law student, who was shot dead at a restaurant in a busy hotel-cinema complex near Elite Crossing earlier this week.One of the accused sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the exchange of fire and was admitted to hospital.The victim, Sanjay Singh (33), a law student and property dealer from Hawaitpur village in Garautha, was having dinner with friends on Thursday night when a gunman approached him and shot him in the head at point-blank range before fleeing on a motorcycle with an accomplice. Sanjay was rushed to Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, where he later succumbed to his injuries.Given the brazen nature of the crime, SSP BBGTS Murthy had constituted three teams, including the SWAT unit, to crack the case.SP City Preeti Singh said police received a tip-off about the accused’s presence near Karguan shortly after midnight on Sunday. When the police team moved in, the suspects allegedly opened fire, prompting retaliatory firing by the police.The arrested accused were identified as Dharmendra Singh Parihar (32) and Azem Saifi alias Bhim (28), who sustained the gunshot injury. During interrogation, Dharmendra allegedly revealed that he, Sanjay and another partner, Ajay Yadav, had been involved in property dealings and had developed a bitter dispute over land transactions.Police said Dharmendra claimed he had been publicly humiliated by Sanjay and, along with associate Ajay Yadav, conspired to eliminate him. The duo allegedly hired three contract killers—Azem Saifi, Jeetendra Yadav alias Jeetu and Husain alias Khadda—paying an advance of Rs 50,000 for the murder.According to police, Dharmendra tipped off the shooters about Sanjay’s location on Thursday night, following which the murder was carried out. Ajay, Jeetendra and Husain remain absconding.
