PRAYAGRAJ, May 16 -- Police on Friday claimed to have solved the murder case of former village head Manoj Kumar of Alamchand village in Kaushambi district. Officials said the murder was allegedly planned by the current village head because of political rivalry. According to superintendent of police Satyanarayan Prajapat, Manoj Kumar was shot dead on May 4 at around 5 am under the Sandipan Ghat police station area. Three masked men riding a motorcycle allegedly opened fire on him, hitting him with four bullets. He was taken to SRN Hospital in Prayagraj, where he later died during treatment. During the investigation, police earlier arrested Sulkhan and Neeraj, residents of Narwar Patti village, and sent them to jail. Further investigation led police to the alleged mastermind of the murder, Narwar Patti village head Roshan Lal, who has now been arrested. Police said Roshan Lal allegedly confessed during questioning that he had hired contract killer Suraj Kumar, a resident of Samspur village in the Charwa area, to kill Manoj Kumar due to ongoing political tensions. According to police, Suraj Kumar, along with Sulkhan and Neeraj, allegedly carried out the murder. Officials also claimed that the illegal firearms and cartridges used in the crime were arranged by Roshan Lal. Police recovered a country-made pistol and cartridges from Roshan Lal after his arrest, the SP said. The SP added that police had been searching for Suraj Kumar, but later found he had surrendered in another pending case in Pratapgarh on May 11. He is currently lodged in Pratapgarh jail....