Firozabad (UP), Aug 2 (IANS): The Firozabad police, on Saturday, arrested two Azamgarh-based shooters who had been hired to eliminate the nephew of a BJP national general secretary.

A history-sheeter Devender Yadav, currently in Gorakhpur jail, had hired the shooters, identified as Ashish Yadav and Sandeep Yadav, for Rs 5 lakh for eliminating the nephew.

The victim, who runs glass factory, was helping his deceased clerk's family in fighting a case against Devender's younger brother Shiva, who shot dead the clerk and robbed Rs 40,000 cash in 2014.

The two shooters were caught from Sirsaganj by special operation group team that also seized a hatchback and two country-made pistols from them.

IG Agra range Satish Ganesh said, "These are eastern UP 'Phantom shooters' who don't have any criminal records as they do not leave any trace for the police. They can kill anyone even for a pair of jeans. Had they been successful in their task, it would have been difficult for us to trace them and connect the dots."

The IG said that one of the apprehended shooters is a student of Polytechnic in Etawah. They were initially paid Rs 5,000 but were promised Rs 5 lakhs.

History-sheeter Devender Yadav, who hired the shooters, had murdered a person identified as Anoop Kumar over land dispute in August 2019.

Later, a reward of Rs 50,000 was declared on him. He was arrested by STF Gorakhpur in February 2020.

"Devender believed that victim was helping his deceased clerk's family to ensure jail term for Devender's younger brother Shiva.

Devender was pressurising victim's kin to settle the matter and help his brother," said Firozabad SP, Sachindra Patel.

Shiva had murdered Kuldeep, the clerk in 2014 while attempting to rob Rs 40,000 cash.