Patna, July 5 (IANS) The murder of prominent Patna industrialist Gopal Khemka has taken a new turn, with police suspecting that the conspiracy was allegedly hatched from inside Beur Jail.

Acting on crucial inputs, Patna police have launched a large-scale raid at Beur Jail under the leadership of SSP Kartikeya Sharma.

A team comprising four SDPOs, three DSPs, and over 200 police personnel from 12 police stations has been deployed for the raid, which is currently underway in an effort to gather evidence connected to the murder case.

The incident occurred around 11:40 pm near Panache Hotel in the Gandhi Maidan area, one of Patna’s posh localities, as Khemka was stepping out of his car near his residence when an unidentified bike-borne assailant opened fire at him.

He sustained one gunshot injury and succumbed in the hospital.

Khemka’s brother, Shankar Khemka, alleged police inaction, claiming: “Officers arrived late after the incident, at around 2:30 am.”

Patna SSP Kartikeya Sharma, who met with Gopal Khemka’s family, confirmed that “important clues” have been found during the raid.

“We have conducted raids at Beur Jail and obtained significant clues. All pieces of evidence are being examined collectively, and we will try to solve the entire case soon. Every angle is being investigated, and research is being done on all possible leads,” the SSP said.

The case has rattled Bihar’s industrial community, with growing concerns over safety and law and order in the state.

Khemka was shot dead near a police station in Patna, prompting senior leaders, including Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary, to acknowledge lapses and promise swift justice in the case.

The Patna police’s ongoing action in Beur Jail is expected to provide critical breakthroughs in the investigation, as authorities move to uncover the masterminds and motives behind the killing of one of the city’s leading industrialists.

–IANS

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