A man named Nepal Sarkar was arrested in Bally, Howrah, on Friday in connection with the murder of railway employee Bijay Krishna Dutta.

Dutta was shot dead from point-blank range while he was chatting with friends near his travel agency’s office at Kumillapara in Bally. The man who shot him and two others came on a motorcycle. They chased Dutta’s friends to the office and hurled crude bombs before fleeing.

Dutta was rushed to the Railways hospital at Liluah, where he was declared brought dead.

Superintendent of Howrah police Niraj Kumar Singh, said: “Both Dutta and Sarkar were engaged in crime. Dutta was arrested under the arms Act. Sarkar was held for robbery and murder attempts. We are looking for leads.”

Dutta’s wife Rina said: “On Tuesday, Bijay told me that someone was trailing him and was attempting to shoot him. I had asked him not to step out of the house.”

Officers investigating the murder suspect that gang rivalry resulted in Dutta’s death. He was involved in several criminal cases, said neighbours.

In 1998, Dutta had allegedly murdered a duo. He reportedly headed a gang that used to steal scraps from a Liluah workshop. He had recently taken up promoting. According to local residents, Sarkar was insecure about Dutta’s progress in business.