Patna: In a major breakthrough in the high-profile murder of prominent Bihar businessman Gopal Khemka, police have arrested the suspected shooter, identified as Umesh Rai alias Vijay, from the Malsalami area of Patna. The arrest comes four days after Khemka was shot dead outside his residence, sending shockwaves through the city’s business and political circles.
Contract Killing for ₹10 Lakh
According to police sources, Umesh confessed during interrogation that he was hired to kill Khemka for ₹10 lakh. He had reportedly received ₹1 lakh in advance for the hit. Umesh, a resident of the Patna City area, was living in Delhi under an alias and returned to Patna on June 24 — the same day key suspect Ajay Verma was arrested.
Police have also recovered the bike used in the murder, along with a pistol, 80 live cartridges, two mobile phones, and ₹1 lakh in cash from Umesh’s residence. The recovery was made shortly after he was detained while returning from his child’s school.
Link to Political Circles and Delhi Network
Investigators are probing Umesh’s links to a sitting Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), as well as his associations with jailed gangster Niaz. Police sources say that Umesh had removed the number plate of his bike before the murder, but his identity was confirmed through CCTV footage analysis. Surveillance video also placed him with Ajay Verma shortly before the latter’s arrest, raising suspicions of a larger criminal network.
Umesh had reportedly stayed in a businessman’s flat in Udaygiri Apartment, Kotwali area, for a few hours after committing the murder. Acting on his inputs, the Special Task Force (STF) raided flat number 601 in the same apartment complex and detained three more individuals. Another suspect was picked up from Patna Junction. However, police have yet to disclose the identities or roles of those detained.
The Murder: A Brazen Attack 300 Meters from Police Station
Gopal Khemka, a well-known trader and member of the Bankipur Club, was gunned down around 11:30 pm on July 4, just outside the gate of Kataruka Niwas near Ramgulam Chowk in the Gandhi Maidan police station area. Khemka was returning home alone, driving his car, when the assailant — waiting on a motorcycle — shot him point-blank in the head.
The crime scene was barely 300 meters from the local police station, yet family members claimed police did not arrive for nearly two hours. In desperation, they contacted ADG Headquarters Kundan Krishnan directly to prompt immediate action. Khemka was rushed to Mediversal Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
Killer’s Escape Route Mapped Through CCTV
CCTV footage captured the moment Khemka was shot and the assailant’s subsequent escape. The shooter was seen fleeing toward Fraser Road, then navigating through SP Verma Road, R Block, and finally crossing JP Bridge toward Sonpur.
Police believe the murder was meticulously planned, involving a team of 3-4 criminals with defined roles — the shooter, the planner, the getaway coordinator, and the safehouse provider. The detailed escape route and temporary hideouts indicate the involvement of a sophisticated network.
SIT Tight-Lipped, Key Mastermind Still at Large
While the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and STF have made multiple arrests, they remain tight-lipped about the identity of the mastermind who commissioned the murder. Interrogation of Umesh and other detained individuals is ongoing. Police officials say more information will be officially disclosed on Tuesday.
The murder of Gopal Khemka has not only exposed serious lapses in city policing but also hints at a broader web of crime, possibly involving political and underworld links. Public anger continues to simmer, especially over the police’s initial inaction and the apparent ease with which the criminals executed their plan in a high-security zone.
