Jamshedpur, July 8 (IANS) Vishwanath Mandal, alias Bodra, the prime accused in the sensational murder case of Karni Sena youth leader Himanshu Singh, surrendered before a court in Jamshedpur on Wednesday, officials said.

Mandal, alleged to be the main conspirator behind the crime, had been absconding since the murder.

Police had been conducting raids at his suspected hideouts in Jharkhand and other states to arrest him, while legal pressure on him continued to mount. A reward of Rs 2 lakh had been announced for information leading to his arrest.

Prior to his surrender, police had arrested nine accused in connection with the case and taken a juvenile into custody. During the investigation, officers recovered several sharp-edged weapons, including choppers, axes, machetes and knives, from those arrested.

Earlier, police arrested Neeraj Singh, owner of the Double Down Bar, from the Khatu Shyamji area of Rajasthan. He was brought to Jamshedpur on transit remand and questioned with regard to the incident. Agencies are continuing to probe various aspects of the case.

The murder took place on the night of June 27 outside the Double Down Bar in the Bistupur area of Jamshedpur, where Himanshu Singh was allegedly attacked with sharp-edged weapons and killed.

According to allegations, Himanshu Singh and his friend objected to the alleged harassment of women by a group of youths inside the establishment. A confrontation followed, during which Himanshu was attacked.

In an attempt to save himself, Himanshu reportedly sought refuge inside a police PCR vehicle. However, the attackers dragged him out in front of police personnel and assaulted him with sharp-edged weapons. He sustained critical injuries and succumbed during treatment on June 29.

The incident triggered widespread criticism over law and order and the functioning of the police. In the aftermath, the state government initiated action against several police officials, including the then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).

–IANS

snc/skp/vd