Patna/IBNS: The primary accused in the murder of Bihar businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead in an encounter with police in the state capital Patna on Tuesday morning, media reports said.

The encounter broke out when the accused Vikas alias Raja opened fire at police who went to interrogate him at his house in Patna's Malsalami area.

Patna senior SP Kartikey Sharma said as quoted by Hindustan Times, "However, Raja opened fire at the police after which the accused was shot in the ensuing gun battle.

"The connection of Raja is yet to be fully established, but the police had gone to question him for his dubious role, as he came across as a supplier of illegal weapons and he is suspected to have made available the weapon used in the murder at the behest of Umesh alias Vijay Yadav, who is in the police net."

Sharma told the daily that Raja supplied arms and ammunition to Umesh in this case.

Umesh was picked up from the Malsalami area on Monday.

"Umesh had told the police during interrogation that the contract for killing was given for ₹10 lakh and ₹1 lakh had been paid. The police is also said to have recovered a weapon from the river bank," the cop told Hindustan Times.

Police picked up three more people from several raids which were conducted following Umesh's interrogation.

Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar on Monday said 12 people in total were picked up in connection with the murder of the Bihar businessman.