Bhubaneswar, June 16: Ranpur police today arrested three persons from Bhubaneswar for their involvement in the murder of panchayat samiti member Gurubaru Kanhar in Bhapur of Ranpur block in Nayagarh district on June 13.

The police named the accused as Prakash Pradhan, Chhabi Sahu and Bijay Kumar Jena. The accused persons are all from Bhapur village in Nayagarh district to which the victim also belonged.

Inspector in charge of Ranpur police station Akbar Ali said the accused had a fight with the supporters of Kanhar, who was a Congress leader, on May 28.

“These three had sustained injuries in the attack and after they returned from hospital, they attacked Kanhar along with some other youths while he was on his way to the Bhapur panchayat samiti office,” said Ali.

Fifty-five-year-old Kanhar’s motorcycle was hit from behind by a four-wheeler while he was on his way to the panchayat samiti on June 13. As he fell, the accused attacked him with sharp weapons.

A profusely bleeding Kanhar was rushed to Bhapur community healthcare centre, where doctors declared him brought dead. The police have been on the lookout for the accused ever since. The police team raided the hideouts of the accused persons at Khandagiri here today.

“They have confessed to their involvement in the murder. We will produce them before the court tomorrow. Raids are on to arrest the others involved in the killing,” Ali said.

Kanhar, a former panchayat samiti chairman, was earlier in the BJD. But, he was elected as a panchayat samiti member with Congress support in the last rural polls. Sources said that Kanhar had survived earlier attacks by his political rivals.