Bhojpur police have arrested three more people in the murder of retired customs officer Ram Kumar Singh in Ara, including the alleged main accused and two associates, while investigators examine a suspected land dispute and alleged fraudulent property-document network behind the killing.
Superintendent of Police Awadhesh Dixit said at a news conference that Chandan Singh and his associate Abhishek were arrested at Kolkata airport after raids, while Tipu was arrested in Ara on Tuesday night. Another accused, Manoj Singh alias Lucky, had been arrested earlier.
Police also seized a pistol, although its use in the crime has not yet been established. Singh, 70, was shot dead on the morning of October 15 near Jain College in Ara. An FIR naming 14 people was registered at Ara Nawada police station on a complaint filed by the deceased’s son.
According to Dixit, the investigation has identified an alleged land dispute as a possible motive. Police said Singh had been in possession of a plot in Singahi village in Ara since 2006. The accused allegedly obtained a power of attorney in 2025 and began registering parts of the land in other people’s names, despite Singh’s long-standing possession.
The SP further alleged that Chandan and around 10 others had formed a syndicate to take over land and harass original owners by preparing fraudulent documents. Dixit said the investigation could uncover more alleged land-grabbing syndicates operating in Bhojpur.
The police account places the alleged property dispute within a wider chain of document transfers and disputed ownership claims. The allegations have not been adjudicated by a court, and the investigation is continuing. Police said they had gathered evidence against the arrested accused.
Dixit said the alleged murder was planned 20 to 25 days before the shooting. Investigators also alleged that Chandan and his associates transferred money from their bank accounts to their wives’ accounts, bought new SIM cards and mobile phones, and created new accounts in an attempt to avoid detection after the crime.
Police said Chandan and Abhishek travelled to Siliguri and then Gangtok before being arrested at Kolkata airport. The SP also alleged that Chandan and his wife released videos claiming innocence and presenting themselves as victims before the murder.
A special investigation team led by Ara Sadar SDPO-I Sushil Kumar was formed to investigate the killing and identify those involved. Other senior police officers are also part of the team. The FIR names four people, including a suspended station house officer and a retired revenue official, as alleged conspirators. Ten others have been charged with alleged involvement in the killing.
The police said they would file a chargesheet and seek a speedy trial. The seized weapon, the alleged land documents and the roles of the 14 people named in the FIR remain part of the ongoing investigation.
