At 17, he?s perhaps the youngest contract killer in the state.

But the police admit Suman Samaddar was a complete professional while executing his first contract, for which he had reportedly charged Rs 15,000.

Samaddar had chalked out a neat plan ? following the target on a motorcycle, waiting in a secluded corner with a revolver tucked in a trouser pocket and taking a perfect shot at the target.

?He murdered 21-year-old Suman Basu, a third-year IT student, on April 22, with such precision that no one would imagine it was his first killing. After pumping two bullets into Suman?s abdomen, he hurled a bomb,? said Praveen Kumar, superintendent of North 24-Parganas police.

Samaddar ? better known as Bachcha among friends? was arrested at his Aswinipalli residence in Barasat on Friday.

Basu had been a victim of a triangular love affair. Ayan Chakraborty, the mastermind of the killing, had fallen in love with Suman?s girlfriend Sagarika. He hired Samaddar via one of his friends, Sagar Sarkar (a second-year student), to kill Suman. Both Ayan and Sagar were arrested the same day Samaddar was picked up.

During interrogation, Samaddar confessed to the crime and elaborated on what had led him to become a contract killer. ?My elder brother has achieved success in the hotel industry. Inspired by his career, I wanted to pursue a course in hotel management. And for this, I needed money,? he told police.

Samaddar did not show any interest in the love story before accepting the murder contract. ?Ke kake bhalobashe amaar janar dorkar nei? amaar taka pelei holo? kake marte hobe bolo (I don?t want to know who loves whom? I just want the money? tell me, whom I will have to kill),? Samaddar reportedly told Ayan before sealing the deal.

Giving a blow-by-blow account of the murder, Samaddar told police: ?I followed him for two days and identified the routes he used to take. The moment came on April 22, when I saw Basu returning home alone. Earlier, I stood outside the restaurant where Suman was dining with Sagarika and friend Biswajit.?

It was around 9.30 pm. ?I was waiting with two of my associates. I accosted Basu, took out my revolver and fired twice. He slumped to the road and tried to contact someone from his cellphone. I then hurled a bomb at him,? Samaddar recalled.

Police superintendent Kumar said about Samaddar: ?He is not repenting. He told us that he committed the murder because he needed the money.?