Ara, March 2: A former mukhiya plotted the murder of his successor, Vinod Singh, in Ichari panchayat, police revealed today while claiming the arrest of three persons in the case.

Bhojpur superintendent of police M.R. Nayak said: “Vinod was a major hurdle in the career of the younger son of Nathuni Singh, the former mukhiya, and daughter of one panchayat secretary as he had put pressure on the district education officer not to sign their appointment letters. Vinod had even written to the district magistrate to set up an inquiry in the appointments of the son of Nathuni. They were appointed teaches in 2008. The circle officer had justified the fake appointment after observing the matter recently on the instruction of the district magistrate.”

Vinod was also the Akhil Bharatiya Rashtiya Kisan Sangathan district president.

“Vinod got to know that the appointments of Dhananjay Singh, Nathuni’s younger son, and the panchayat secretary’s daughter were fake. He never made a signature over any of their documents to disburse their salaries. Their salary, about Rs 1.5 lakh, was also pending with the authorities. Finding himself in trouble, Nathuni plotted a plan and gave money to professional criminals for murdering Vinod,” he added.

The police have confirmed that three criminals — Awadh, a retired homeguard jawan and resident of Terari village in Piro subdivision, Kamlesh of Diliyan village and Dharmendra Kumar of Sasaram’s Danwaar village — murdered Vinod.

They were also given Rs 25,000 for the killing.

However, Nathuni, the former mukhiya, his two sons — Dhananjay Singh and Rajan Singh — are yet to be arrested.

The police have recovered two country-made pistols from the house of Rajendra Singh in Garhani village in Bhojpur district.

Two cellphones and three empty round caps and eight live cartridges from the house of Nathuni from his native village were also found. However, raids were on to arrest all the culprits, the police officer said.