Three people, including a former employee of the victim, were arrested on Sunday in connection with murder of a well-known doctor and social worker in Haryana''s Karnal town, police said.

The Chief Minister, whose hometown is Karnal, visited the family of Dr Rajiv Gupta, who was shot dead at point-blank range by three motorcycle-borne masked men late on July 6 evening when he was en route to his Amritdhara hospital at ITI Chowk in his car. Director General of Police Manoj Yadav earlier reached the crime spot. Inspector General Yogendra Nehra told reporters police had questioned 15 suspects.

He said the main accused was Gupta''s former employee Pawan Dahiya, who was sacked from his job last December after over a decade of service. The other accused have been identified as Raman and Shiv Kumar, all three residents of Karnal. Prima facie, the provocation for the crime was Dahiya''s removal from his job and also because Gupta had ensured that he did not get a job anywhere in the city. This infuriated Dahiya and he hatched a plan to get Gupta eliminated, said Nehra.

As per eyewitnesses, the attackers had fired thrice at point-blank range at 56-year-old Gupta who sustained two bullets in the chest. Gupta, former president of the Karnal unit of Indian Medical Association, was rushed to hospital by his driver, where he succumbed to his injuries. The CM said directions have been issued to the police to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

He said new recruitments have been made to increase the strength of police force in the state and modern equipment has been provided to it. Senior Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Chautala reached the hospital and condemned the incident. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Chief Minister has failed to ensure the safety of people in his own constituency.