Six men have been arrested in connection with the murder of Riet Valley farmer Aman Giyanshwar Roopsingh.

The breakthrough follows a police manhunt linked to a series of violent crimes across the North Coast.

The murder took place on January 30 at a farm in Riet Valley, where Roopsingh (52) lived with his family. Armed suspects reportedly forced their way into the home, robbing him before killing him. His uncle was also stabbed and left with serious injuries, but survived.

Umhlali police spokesperson Sergeant Makhosi Khumalo said the most recent arrests stem from an earlier confrontation between police and suspects on March 28.

“Police were chasing suspects involved in house and armed robberies when a shoot-out occurred. Three suspects were arrested at the scene, while the others managed to flee,” said Khumalo.

A manhunt was then launched, leading to the arrest of the remaining three suspects on Sunday. All six are currently being held in custody at Saps Umhlali.

Police believe the group is linked to a string of serious crimes, including house robberies, business robberies and farm attacks in areas such as Shayamoya, Nkobongo and Riet Valley.

Khumalo confirmed that evidence recovered during the operation is expected to be linked to multiple robbery cases.

The operation involved Saps Umhlali crime prevention, the task team and detectives, who worked together to trace and apprehend the suspects.

Police expect further arrests as they continue to link the men to additional cases.