CHENNAI: City Police who have arrested the contract killers of the Sowcarpet-based travel agent, Babu Singh, two days ago, have established the motive behind the sensational murder.
Babu Singh had allegedly verbally humiliated village honcho, Keshav Singh in his native, Rajasthan, several months ago, details of which are still sketchy. This led Keshav Singh’s sons to hire contract killers to avenge their father’s humiliation, police said.
Fifty-year-old Babu Singh, a businessman was shot dead outside his travel agency office on the busy Erulappan Street in Sowcarpet on May 3. City Police, investigating the case arrested the hitmen hired for the job, Rakesh (28) and Dikku of Nagpur in Pune on Monday (May 23).
The formalities for bringing the killers to the city are being completed.
“When Babu Singh visited Rajasthan, he had got into an argument with Keshav Singh, who is said to be a big shot in the village. Keshav Singh had felt humiliated,” a police source said.
Keshav Singh’s sons, based in Pune decided to avenge their father’s humiliation and approached Nagpur based gangster, Hakkim. Police said that Hakkim had masterminded the whole operation and had charged `5 lakh from Keshav Singh’s sons.
“The transaction took place in February this year and Hakkim was initially paid an amount of `1 lakh,” the source added.
The killers, on Hakkim’s instructions had conducted a recce of the place where the murder took place, twice, first one on February 27 and later on March 10 to observe Babu Singh’s movements. The killers executed the murder on May 3.
The police have detained several suspects including the manager of the lodge where the killers stayed and the driver of the autorickshaw they used.
It was Hakkim’s associates in Chennai who helped the killers with transport and lodging are also being investigated, police sources said.
The bullet trail
May 3: Babu Singh (50), a travel agent, shot dead outside his office on Erulappan street in Sowcarpet
May 5: CCTV footage shows killer dressed in black shirt getting out of an autorickshaw and following Babu Singh
May 7: Auto driver detained by police
May 9: Police release photographs of suspects, reward announced for information on suspects. Special police teams dispatched to Babu Singh’s native place in Rajasthan and to Maharashtra
May 23: Suspects Rakesh (28) and associate Diku of Nagpur arrested in Pune. Killers hired by Nagpur-based gangster, Hakkim