Suresh Dashrath Butka and Sumitkumar Sukhdevsingh -- both residents of Ganeshnagar, Pandesara -- along with Dhananjay Siddhsingh Rajput of Hayaatnagar, Un village, were arrested by a Pandesara police team on the Navsari-Bhestan Road with a country-made pistol and a live cartridge. PI M V Zala said that all are originally Bihar residents.

One of them claims to be a labour contractor, while the other two are mill workers. All three were arrested on Sunday and are now on a four-day police remand, Zala added.

One Vicky alias Vikas Jayprakash Singh, a resident of Hayaatnagar, Un Patia, was also arrested, said Zala. He said that Vicky, along with three others, was involved in the murder of one Ashok in March in the same area. While two of his associates, Avinash Krishna Jha and Rajendra Giri Goswami, have been arrested earlier, a fourth, namely Avinash Pandey, is still absconding. Zala said that Pandey is also involved in a case in Umra.

Meanwhile, the Mahidharpura police have announced the arrest of a burglar involved in a string of housebreaks. PSI Navroze Dordi said that Chhotusingh Omprakash Solanki (18) has so far confessed to stealing 20 camera rolls and Rs 1000 in cash from Madhusudan Sabu Bhandar on Kumbharia Road in December 1998 and electric goods worth Rs 14,000 from New Surat Electric Company, Begumpura. Rs 7000 worth of goods have been recovered from him.