Kamlesh Tewari, 45, was found murdered at his home (Representational)

The Uttar Pradesh police are questioning the driver of a private vehicle allegedly hired by two suspected killers of Hindu Samaj Party leader Kamlesh Tiwari to escape from Lakhimpur to Shahjahanpur, sources said on Monday. At least six people have been arrested in the case.

On a tip off that the two men, identified as Sheikh Ashfaqul Hussain and Muinuddin Pathan, were present in Palia, Lakhimpur, an investigation team of the UP police rushed to the place, said sources.

But when the police reached there, they came to know that the suspects had left for Shahjahanpur in a rented vehicle, said sources.

The police, however, managed to trace the driver of the vehicle. He is being questioned.

The police earlier had recovered a blood-stained saffron kurta and a towel from a Lucknow hotel in which the duo, Hussain and Pathan had checked in on October 17 and had left the hotel the next day.

The police, meanwhile, have launched an operation to track the suspects. Director General of Police OP Singh has announced a reward of Rs 2.50 lakh each for information leading to their arrest.

Earlier, the police team reached Shahjahanpur from Lakhimpur and inspected the CCTV footage at the local bus station there and those installed at a hotel, where the suspects were believed to have stayed, said sources.

Kamlesh Tewari, 45, was found murdered at his home in the congested Naka Hindola area of Lucknow.