A JDU leader and a retired Army jawan were among the five persons who have been named accused in the murder of Kamal Kishore Mishra, an eyewitness in the 2016 murder of state BJP vice-president Visheshwar Ojha at Sonbarsa village in Bhojpur on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted raids and arrested JDU’s Shahpur block unit president Mukteshwar Mishra and retired Army jawan Umashankar Mishra late Saturday evening.

A rifle, a gun and a revolver of .32 calibre, besides 12 cartridges were seized during the operation.

Mukteshwar, a resident of Sonbarsa under the jurisdiction of Karnamepur police outpost in Bhojpur, was removed from the party by Bhojpur district president after his name cropped in the murder case. Mukeshwar and Umashankar were taken to judicial custody on Sunday.

Three other accused — Brajesh Mishra, Kishun Mishra and Raj Kumar Pal — are at large. Brajesh and Kishun Mishra were earlier named accused in the Visheshwar Ojha murder case but they could not be arrested. Their father Shivji Mishra is in jail.

Outgoing Bhojpur superintendent of police Awakash Kumar confirmed the arrest of the two accused in the Kamal Kishore Mishra murder case.

“Raids are underway to nab the remaining named accused in the case,” he told The Telegraph over phone on Sunday.

The state had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for the arrest of Brajesh, the prime accused in the killing of Visheshwar Ojha at Shahpur in Bhojpur on February 12, 2016. The police have failed to recover the sophisticated weapon, which was reportedly used in the crime.

Bhojpur additional superintendent of police (ASP) Nitin Kumar said Kamal Kishore Mishra was attacked by motorcycle-borne assailants when he was returning home after collecting fodder for cattle from his agriculture field. Another resident Amar Nath Mishra suffered bullet injuries when the assailants opened fire after he raised an alarm.

Mishra is recuperating at Ara sadar hospital.

“The accused whosoever they may be will not be spared. Efforts are being made to arrest the culprits,” the ASP (operation) added.

The deceased’s family members told the police that Kamal Kishore was being pressured not to get his statement recorded in the court in the Visheshwar Ojha murder case. But he didn’t succumb to their pressure, which led to his killing, a relative said, adding that his statement was recorded in court on July 9, 2018.

The slain BJP leader’s brother Bhuwar Ojha alleged that the security of Kamal Kishore was withdrawn soon after his deposition in the trial court.

“The motive behind the murder of Kamal Kishore is to create fear among the other witnesses in the Visheshwar Ojha murder case,” he told this newspaper.

Seven persons were made accused in the case, however, Brajesh Mishra is evading arrest.