Arrah (Bihar), Oct 15 A former customs official was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne assailants in Bihar’s Bhojpur district on Thursday, prompting locals to stage a demonstration demanding the arrest of those involved in the killing, police said.
The police suspended the SHO concerned for alleged inaction and detained an individual based on the family’s allegations, a senior police officer said.
The deceased, identified as Ram Kumar Singh (68), was a former assistant commissioner of customs and was serving as the Kshatriya Mahasabha state president.
Masked gunmen fired at him around 7 am near the eastern gate of Jain College in Arrah town while he was going for a morning walk with his son, Bhojpur SP Awadhesh Dixit said. Singh’s son escaped unhurt.
“The assailants came on a motorcycle, fired at least seven to eight rounds at Singh and fled the spot. He was taken to Arrah Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” Dixit said.
Singh’s family members told the police that he had received threats over a land dispute and had earlier faced an attempt on his life, the SP said.
The police collected evidence from the crime scene for forensic tests and are examining CCTV footage to identify the assailants, he added.
Dixit said that based on the complaint of the family members, the SHO concerned was suspended for alleged inaction over previous threats to the victim, and an individual was detained.
“Prima facie, the incident appears to be related to multiple land disputes, as informed by the family members of the deceased. Police are investigating the case from all angles,” he said.
Meanwhile, locals staged a protest outside the hospital, demanding strict action against the culprits.
An FIR has been registered at Nawada police station, and a search is underway to arrest those involved in the killing, another officer said.
(PTI News)
