RETIRED CUSTOMS OFFICERF SHOT DEAD

RETIRED CUSTOMS OFFICERF SHOT DEAD

15-OCT-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------------A retired Assistant Commissioner of the Customs Department was shot dead in broad daylight on Thursday morning in Ara, triggering widespread outrage and a five-hour blockade of the Ara-Patna main road.

Ram Kumar Singh, 67, a resident of Dumariya village under Bihiya police station and former president of the Bihar Kshatriya Kalyan Sangathan, was gunned down near Jain College Gate under Nawada police station limits. Miscreants fired eight bullets at him. He was rushed to Ara Sadar Hospital with the help of local residents and police but was declared dead on arrival.

According to family members, Singh used to go for a morning walk every day with his son Rajesh Kumar at Ramna Maidan. On Thursday, as he was locking the garage gate outside his house while preparing to leave, three armed assailants opened fire. His son, who was sitting in the car at the time, escaped unhurt. The attackers fled after the shooting.

Police and locals found blood scattered at the crime scene. Enraged residents placed the body on the road near Sapna Cinema turning and blocked the Ara-Patna highway for nearly five hours, demanding the presence of the Chief Minister and the Commissioner. The blockade was lifted only after prolonged efforts.

Singh’s son Rajesh Kumar alleged that the murder was linked to a land dispute. He said his father had purchased 13 kathas of land in his name near Singhi turning under Nagar police station area. Land mafia later allegedly tried to grab the property, prompting Singh to file a complaint at the police station. The family claimed previous attempts had been made on Singh’s life over the same issue.

Singh’s wife Sushila Devi stated that the couple faced death threats related to the land. She accused land mafias of fabricating documents to seize their property and levelled serious charges against the Mufassil Station House Officer and the Circle Officer of Ara Sadar Anchal for allegedly helping the accused and creating fake papers.

Bhojpur Superintendent of Police Avadhesh Dixit, SDPO Van Sushil Kumar, and teams from the District Investigation Unit and Nawada police reached the spot. The SP said action is being taken on the basis of the family’s complaint. Mufassil Station House Officer Ram Kalyan Yadav has been suspended for allegedly failing to act on the complaint.

The incident has left the family in shock and sparked strong public anger in the city over the daylight killing of a retired senior official. Police have launched an investigation into the case.