PATNA/BHOJPUR, Oct. 16 -- Four armed criminals riding on two motor cycles gunned down a retired custom officer Ram Kumar Singh, 67, near Jain College under the limits of Nawada police station of Ara Town when he was out for his morning walk at around 7 am on Wednesday, police said. Locals and associates of the victim blocked the Ara- Patna road for five hours to demand arrest of the culprits even as wife of the victim Sushila Devi alleged that the local land mafia had orchestrated the killing of the retired officer under the patronage of certain revenue, police and a local journalist. She also alleged her husband was getting threats regularly over a dispute on 14 kattha land the victim had purchased a few years back but police including station house officer( SHO), Muffasil police station, did not act on the complaints. Later, Bhojpur SP Awadhesh Dixit suspended the SHO of Muffasil police station Ram Kalyan Yadav following the charges levelled by the wife of the victim. 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. Police said they were interrogating the detained person thoroughly. "My husband had purchased 14 kattha land near Singhi falling under Muffasil police station area but soon after the purchase, certain people who work in land related transactions including Amarendra Pratap, Manoj Kumar Lucky, and Chandan attempted to grab our land after preparing forged papers with the help of circle officer. They had threatened to kill my husband after we lodged complaint with the Muffasil police station in this connection but the SHO could not take any legal action against the people," Sushila Devi alleged. She has made a statement in this regard to the police too. An FIR has been registered at the Nawada police station. Police said the victim was a resident of Dumaria village in the Bihia police station area currently residing at Kanakpuri locality of Ara Town. He had retired from the post of Assistant Commissioner of Customs from Bhagalpur in 2015. Singh had previously served as secretary of the Rotary Club and still associated with the organisation and also connected with various social organisation, including the Kshatriya Mahasabha. Reacting on the murder of the retired officer, Bhojpur SP Awadhesh Dixit said, "Ram Kumar was shot dead this morning. I inspected the crime scene and spoke to his wife and other family members. The main reason that has emerged so far is a land dispute, over which a conflict had been ongoing and the family had submitted applications to various authorities. There is another land dispute involving him and another person. We are investigating all aspects and will make arrests as soon as possible. Police officers and influential people whose names have been mentioned will also be investigated, and action will be taken against anyone found guilty." Police are investigating the allegations and collected evidence from the crime scene for forensic tests and are examining CCTV footage to identify the assailants, sources said. The incident, which occurred in a busy area during daylight, has raised concerns among local residents about security arrangements. The protesters, who blocked the Ara -Patna road near Sapna cinema roundabout, were demanding a visit by CM Samrat Choudhary, the divisional commissioner to the town and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits....