Alleged contract killers who were arrested on Sunday. Telegraph pictures

Bhubaneswar, April 10: Five alleged supari (contract) killers, who had shot and critically wounded a salesman in Shastri Nagar yesterday, were arrested today.

The victim, Sanjay Mishra, who worked at a medicine shop, is fighting for his life at Kalinga Hospital.

The accused were identified as Lingaraj Sahu (19), Sridhar Patra (20), Balaram Sahu (20), Soumya Ranjan Sahu (21) and Umakanta Dalei (21). They have been arrested under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act. Police seized one pistol, one live cartridge, two motorcycles, five mobile phones and cash worth Rs 1 lakh from the accused.

Lingaraj was arrested from Baramunda bus stand while returning home after collecting the ‘supari’ amount of Rs 1 lakh.

The others were nabbed from different parts of the city. However, the hunt for the prime accused is still on.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Himanshu Lal said an illicit love affair and business rivalry were the motivating factors in the crime.

“The accused were hired for a promised amount of Rs 2 lakh and been paid Rs 5,000 as advance to eliminate Mishra,” he said.

Police sources said Mishra’s wife Kabita, who worked for an NGO before marriage, had had an affair with the prime accused whose name is yet to be disclosed.

“Kabita’s family married her off to Mishra in May last year. However, soon after the marriage was fixed both families started receiving threat calls asking them to call off the wedding.

The calls continued even after marriage and became more frequent since December,” said a police officer.

Police also said the prime accused was involved in some sort of illegal business and Mishra had complained to the police about this.

“This could be another reason for the hiring criminals with the intention of eliminating him. We are looking at all possible angles,” said the DCP.

According to the police, one of the accused had visited the medicine store to get a closer look at Mishra before he was shot at.

“Later, the other four went to the shop on two motorcycles. Lingaraj fired two shots at Mishra. While one bullet pierced his chest, the other hit the wall. The accused then fled the spot,” said a police officer.