Missing hotelier found murdered in Patna

PATNA: The body of a missing hotelier was recovered from roadside under Mehndiganj police station area in Patna City on Tuesday. Rakesh Kumar (35) had been missing from Kachauri Gali under Chowk police station area in Patna City since November 6. His body was wrapped in blankets and bedsheets.
Police had arrested three persons, including Rakesh’s business partner Mahadev Kumar, on Sunday.The two others arrested were identified as Mahadev’s younger brother Suraj Kumar and their associate Raju Sharma. They were sent to jail on Monday.
Chowk police station SHO Mitesh Kumar said Rakesh was called by Mahadev to his residence on November 6 night and he was served alcohol. “Later, Rakesh was shot in his chest,” he said, adding financial dispute between the two was the cause of the murder.
The SHO said Rakesh and Mahadev had jointly opened a hotel at Nehru Nagar in the state capital, but their business did not click and the hotel was running in loss. “The two finally sold the hotel. However, the financial condition of Mahadev after selling the hotel had become worse as he had taken a huge amount of loan from people in his fraternity for the business,” the SHO said.
He said the duo had another joint business of supplying a famous Patna City sweet known as ‘khurchan’. The SHO said Rakesh was originally a native of Jhaoganj Gali and knew Mahadev for several years. “Presently, Rakesh was living in a rented accommodation at Nehru Nagar. His wife Reena Rani had lodged a missing complaint with Chowk police station on November 7 which was converted into an FIR the next day. In her complaint, she had mentioned that Rakesh was called by Mahadev after which he didn’t return home,” he added.
Patna City SDPO Manish Kumar said police suspect the involvement of few more persons in the killing and investigations were on to arrest them after ascertaining their identities.