Bikram police on Wednesday arrested a bootlegger, Gaurav Kumar alias Raees, accused of killing his childhood friend over the issue of sharing booty of illegal liquor trade.

He was produced before SSP Manu Maharaaj where he admitted killing his childhood friend Dipak Kumar.

Sources claimed Gaurav who runs a typing institute at Aarap village in Bikram was also in the bootlegging business. "As Dipak had purchased 20 bottles of liquor from Gaurav and was not ready to pay the money, Gaurav hatched a plan to kill him," said an officer. The incident occurred last month at Aarap.

The police last month recovered a mutilated body of a youth from Aarap . Later, the body was identified as Dipak's. Rajesh Kumar Sinha, the SHO of Bikram police station, said: "Based on call records of the victim, the police were able to crack the case."

Sources said both were childhood friends and also relatives. Gaurav jumped into the illegal liquor trade after prohibition was clamped. Guarav used to bring liquor from Mughalsarai district in Uttar Pradesh. A bottle of liquor priced at Rs 700 at Mughalsarai used to be sold at Bikram and Bihta areas at Rs 1,200 or 1,300. Sources said that as Gaurav ran the illegal liquor trade alone, he used to bring small consignments of liquor from UP either via road or by train.

As Guarav had sold 20 bottles to Dipak, who was refusing to pay, he was waiting for a chance to settle scores. On the night of January 27, Guarav called Dipak for a liquor party. When Dipak fell unconscious owing to excess drinking, Gaurav strangled him. He mutilated Dipak's face with iron sheets. Sources said this was the first murder over dispute of sharing booty earned by liquor trade in Patna district.