A court on Tuesday sentenced two persons to death for looting a petrol pump in the district and killing three persons, including its two employees, around two years ago.

The death penalty was imposed on Pappu Bihari and Rahul Yadav, held guilty of loot and murder about two weeks ago. The duo had attacked Soni Fuel Centre at Nehra Bazaar, around 25km east of Darbhanga town and about 175km northeast of Patna, on July 27, 2011. They looted Rs 22,000 and shot dead the trio.

The case, cracked within three days, was solved through scientific investigation initiated by then senior superintendent of police Vikas Vaibhav.

Public prosecutor Vinay Kumar Singh told The Telegraph: “The court of additional district judge-1 Surendra Kumar Pandey slapped the death penalty on Pappu Bihari and Rahul Yadav. The court found them guilty under sections 302 (murder), 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 396, 394, and 412 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act.”

Rampukar Rai, an employee of Soni Fuel Centre who had managed to escape the attack, lodged a complaint at Manigachhi police station on the date of the incident. Three forensic science laboratory teams, including fingerprint experts, ballistic team and portrait team, had collected evidence against the accused.

The police tracked the phone numbers of the accused, analysed the details and reached the duo. By then the portrait team had prepared the sketches of Bihari and Yadav, which were matched to the users of the mobile phone numbers the police were tracking.

On interrogation, the accused confessed to their crime and led the investigating team to the firearms.

The used bullets recovered from the crime scene were also matched by the ballistic team, confirming the weapons used in the attack.

The team of fingerprint experts also collected the impressions of the duo’s fingers as well as their palms, confirming their involvement in the attack at the petrol pump in Nehra Bazaar. Sources said the scientific probe helped in reaching the accused fast and solve the case.

Singh said: “Rampukar Rai, a resident of Chakka village under the jurisdiction of Manigachhi police station, had lodged the case on July 27, 2011. The accused had looted and murdered three persons at the pump — Kailash Sada, Dayashankar Rai and Ashwini Kumar Chaudhary. The FIR mentioned one Kamlesh Jha too but he was acquitted about two weeks ago. Both the convicts, Bihari and Yadav, are lodged in Darbhanga divisional jail.”

Kailash Sada from Nehra village was the attendant at the petrol pump, owned by one Jairam Chaudhary. Dayashankar Rai, a Behat village resident, was the cashier at the pump, while Ashwini Chaudhary was the owner’s nephew and looked after the pump.