Ranchi, Oct. 4: Police are yet to arrest the two accused in the murder of a prominent coal merchant in Dhanbad yesterday.

Dhanbad superintendent of police Murari Lal Meena, however, said raids were on and the culprits would be nabbed soon.

Coal dealer Pramod Singh’s killing is likely to lead a fresh spate of gangwars in the region. The killing also suggests that the coal dons do not tolerate losses on the economic front.

Rake loading is considered one of the most profitable businesses in the coal belt. Earlier, the Suryadeo Singh lobby had a monopoly over it. After Suryadeo Singh’s death in 1991, Suresh Singh shot into the limelight. He was assisted by trade union leader Sakaldeo Singh and his younger brother Vinod Singh.

Both Sakaldeo and Vinod Singh were gunned down four years ago. Rajeev Ranjan Singh and Ramadhir Singh have been accused in these cases.

Urban development minister Bachcha Singh figures as a prime conspirator in the cases.

Rajeev Ranjan was eyeing the Baghmara seat, held by drinking water and sanitation minister Jaleshwar Mahato of Samata Party while Ramadhir was interested in the Dhanbad Vidhan Sabha seat, represented by human resources development minister Ramadhir Singh of the BJP.

Pramod Singh had been looking after Suresh Singh’s coal business in Varanasi. After he was shot at yesterday — allegedly by Rajeev Ranjan when prompted by his uncle Ramadhir Singh — Suresh Singh, Ranvijay Singh and Santosh Singh were the first to reach the spot. The apparantly persuaded the Promod Singh to “expose” them to the police.

Bachcha Singh had yesterday foiled a police attempt to arrest his brother and nephew. Singh alleged a conspiracy to falsely implicate his family members while the police accused Singh of misbehaving and manhandling them as well as obstructing them from doing their duty.

As the Pramod Singh was about to get into his house, he was allegedly accosted by two men, who shot him at point-blank range and escaped.

The coal trader was taken to a nursing home and then to the BCCL hospital, where he died of wounds. In his dying declaration, the trader apparently named both Rajiv Ranjan Singh, the son of the late Suryadeo Singh, and Ramadhir Singh, another brother of the minister, as his assailants. The nephew had actually fired at him, Pramod Singh said, while the uncle had called upon him to do so.

The uncle-nephew duo, the dying declaration alleged, had earlier warned him not to lift coal from the collieries in which they were interested.