Onkar Nath Singh, alias Sheru Singh, a don of Bhojpur-Buxar area in central Bihar was arrested on Friday, along with two associates in connection with the murder of a businessman.

Singh, a resident of Dullahpur village in Buxar, was nabbed from Koilwar police station area in Bhojpur.

They were arrested in connection with the murder of H.N. Singh, the proprietor of a private coaching institute in Ara on April 11.

Singh, whose name spells terror in the areas bordering Uttar Pradesh, was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head. He had escaped from Buxar civil court after shooting at a policeman Mohammad Shamim Akhter, while being taken to court in a murder case on December 17, 2011.

Sources said the don, who had formed a gang comprising youngsters in 2009, has killed 11 persons, including a businessman of Buxar town, Rajendra Kesari in daylight. Kesari, a hardware shop owner and branded paints dealer, was murdered on August 21, 2011.

“The police were keeping a watch on Sheru, who dodged the police after shooting at H.N. Singh under Nawada police station on April 11,” said Bhojpur superintendent of police (SP) M.R. Naik.

While Sheru was arrested from Kulharia village, his two associates, Rajesh Paswan and Vikas Mishra, alias Basant Mishra were arrested from Ara bus stand. Two country-made pistols and five live cartridges were recovered from Sheru’s accomplices.

A car, allegedly hired from Patna was also seized, the SP said.

During interrogation, Sheru confessed that he had killed Singh to avenge the death of his elder brother Pawan Singh, who committed suicide about eight years ago under duress after the money he had brought for taking admission into an engineering college, was allegedly stolen by Singh.

Police said both Singh and Pawan were staying in a private lodge in Ara. “It was because of him (Singh) that my elder brother committed suicide. I told my mother over phone about the murder of Singh,” a police officer quoted Sheru as saying.