Bhadreswar: Police on Saturday seized five single shots, a pistol and 11 bullets that were apparently used to gun down Bhadreswar Municipality chairman Manoj Upadhyay on November 21.

Two two-wheelers, which the gunmen had used that day, were seized as well.

"The arms and ammunition were found buried in a banana plantation in the Noapara area in Singur," an officer of Chandernagore commissionerate said. "The two-wheelers were seized from a house in Singur. The seven men arrested so led us to these."

The murder weapon is vital to the investigation, an officer said. It can turn into clinching evidence with ballistic report confirming bullets had been fired from it, he said.

Since November 29 when a Chandernagore court sent the seven arrested to 14 days' police custody, cops had been trying to find where the weapons had been hidden, he said. The seven were arrested in Varanasi.

They apparently broke down on Friday during prolonged interrogation and led the police to Singur, the officer said. "The two-wheelers were seized from a house in Bidyutpally in Singur. We won't identify the owner of the house since he doesn't seem to be connected to the murder."

Preliminary investigations revealed the gunmen had tracked Upadhyay's route to home from a club for several days. They were fully aware of his schedule and even knew his probable pillion passengers, an officer said.

"Immediately after gunning him down, some of the gunmen fled to Mankundu, then to a place close to Asansol, and then to Patna where they stayed the night," he said.

"The seven then moved to Mughalsarai and later rented a house in Varanasi. One of the main accused is still absconding. We are working on some leads."