JDU leader Mukesh Singh, considered close to an influential minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, was murdered in Barh on Sunday morning, triggering tension in the sub-divisional town.

Mukesh, chairman of the Belchhi primary agriculture credit societies in Barh, was passing through Lalkothi (Dhelwa Gosai) locality in the town in Patna rural on his motorbike when three assailants shot him around 8.45am. He was in his late 30s.

Barh additional superintendent of police Manoj Kumar Tiwary said the assailants pumped seven bullets into Mukesh, a resident of Bhawanchak village under Saksohra police station in Patna district, to ensure he was dead.

The police suspect old rivalry to be the reason behind the murder of Mukesh. His family apprehended the involvement of close relatives of former mukhiya Viveka Singh, who was killed about two years ago.

An investigating officer said Mukesh was a named accused in Viveka's murder. "The differences between the two families came to the fore when Viveka's wife contested the panchayat election last year and was elected mukhiya of Jalalpur panchayat," the officer said.

Six persons have been named accused in the FIR lodged with Barh police station in connection with Mukesh's murder. "Raids were conducted to nab the killers. But nobody could be arrested on Sunday," additional superintendent of police Tiwary told The Telegraph over phone.

The murder is set to fuel political rivalry in the Barh Tal (riverine belt) area. "The fight for the supremacy in the Tal region has started again," said a resident, who didn't wish to be identified. Till recently, the entire Tal area was in the control of Mukesh.

The Barh-Mokama Tal area is known for pulse produce in Bihar.

Additional superintendent of police Tiwary said patrolling has been intensified in vulnerable points in the town to prevent any untoward incident.