PATNA: A retired customs officer, Ramkumar Singh (67), was shot dead near Jain College at Ara in Bihar’s Bhojpur district Thursday morning.
Police said the criminals fired six to seven bullets at him, causing grievous injuries. The attackers fled the scene after the incident. Singh was rushed to Ara Sadar hospital, where he was declared brought dead by the doctors.
The incident occurred in a busy area of the district headquarters town in the early morning, raising serious questions about security arrangements.
According to information, Singh used to go for a morning walk every day. His route was also almost fixed near Jain College and then towards Ramna Maidan. On Thursday morning, he left home as usual, but the criminals probably already knew his daily routine.
As soon as he reached near Jain College, assailants surrounded him and opened fire. According to eyewitnesses, criminals quickly fled the scene after the attack. Singh reportedly sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Locals called the police after the incident.
A native of Dumaria village, Singh was posted as assistant commissioner, customs, Bhagalpur, Bihar before his retirement from service.
The retired customs officer was also associated with some social organisations and remained active in social activities after his retirement in 2015. He was a former secretary of the Rotary Club. Furthermore, he is also reported to be associated with a caste-based Kshatriya organisation.
A land dispute is suspected to be the motive behind the murder of the retired officer. However, the real motive behind the murder will only be clear after a police investigation.
Investigating officers are reviewing footage from nearby CCTV cameras to identify the attackers. They are also questioning people present at the scene of the crime.
Police are investigating whether he had received any recent threats.
Irked over the early morning incident, some residents blocked the Ara-Patna road and disrupted vehicular traffic. The protesters were demanding a visit by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and the divisional commissioner to the town.