Patna: Arwal bank manager Alok Chandra was killed by another banker and an automobile dealer over loan repayment, Jehanabad police said on Sunday.

The police on Sunday said the case has been solved following the arrest of six persons, including Bank of Baroda, Arwal, deputy manager Rajesh Kumar and automobile dealer Brajesh Kumar.

Chandra, 31, was shot dead on May 21 by three persons near Nihalpur diversion under Parasbigha police station in Jehanabad district when he going to assume duty from his house in Nawada.

Jehanabad superintendent of police Shree Maneesh said Rajesh and Brajesh hatched the conspiracy to kill Chandra. Jebara resident Brajesh, the police said, was being pressured by Chandra to repay Rs 1.5 crore loan he had taken from the bank.

"Brajesh, along with the deputy manager of the branch, Rajesh Kumar, hatched a conspiracy to eliminate the manager as he had failed to budge to their pressure to accept the old balance sheet of his bank account," said Maneesh.

The conspirators paid Jitendra Kumar to kill Chandra. The shooters - identified as Raj Kishore, alias Raju, Pintu, Vikas and Prince - were paid Rs 30,000 each. While Pintu and Vikas had done recce of the spot, deputy manager Rajesh was allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh to cooperate with the shooters, Maneesh said. Jitendra is absconding.

Maneesh clarified that Brajesh had invested in real estate and his balance sheet was not up to the mark.

The police recovered a countrymade weapon and a motorbike used in the crime. The seized weapon will be sent to the state forensic science laboratory for ballistics.

"It took 51 days for the police to solve the mystery behind the murder," said Jehanabad additional superintendent of police Pankaj Kumar, who led the special investigation team.