Patna, 8 July

A key suspect in the murder of industrialist Gopal Khemka was killed in a gunfight with the police in Patna's Damaria Ghat area in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.

Vikas alias Raja (29), the suspect, was wanted in several other criminal cases as well, they said.

Acting on a tip-off, the team of officers probing the murder case reached Damaria Ghat around 2.25 am in search of Vikas, an official said.

"On spotting the police personnel, he tried to escape and also opened fire. The officers retaliated, and he was killed," the police official said.

No police personnel sustained any injury, he added.

A pistol, a spent and a live cartridge were recovered from the spot, the official said.

"It is suspected that Vikas provided the weapon that was used in the murder of Khemka," he said.

Police have already arrested the gunman, identified as Umesh Rai, and detained another person who is suspected of hiring the contract killer.

"The contract killer was arrested from Patna. The investigation is in progress. We will share more details in due course," said the official.

Khemka was shot dead outside his residence in the city's Gandhi Maidan locality on Friday morning. Seven years ago, his son was killed in Hajipur.