A 14-year-old boy is being held on suspicion of murdering an 80-year-old man, named by police as Bhim Kohli, who died on Sunday after being allegedly attacked while walking his dog just 20 metres from his home. Leicestershire police said Kohli was found at about 6.30pm in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town. Four other children who had been arrested have been released. A postmortem examination confirmed Kohli died as a result of a neck injury, pending further tests. The Guardian understands that in July an incident was reported to police after Kohli was allegedly verbally abused by a group of youths near his home. Police have said they are keeping an open mind about the motive and circumstances surrounding the suspected attack on him. Police said Kohli was found in the park and died later in hospital. After inquiries, detectives arrested five children – a boy and two girls, all 12 years old; and a boy and girl, both 14. Police later said the 14-year-old boy remained in custody but the other four had been released with no further action. The scene of the suspected attack was cordoned off by police tape. It is just inside the entrance to the park, and about 20 metres from the Kohli family’s front door. Friends and neighbours described Kohli as a gentle family man, who tended to his allotment and was seen regularly walking his dog called Rocky. A neighbour, Harjinder Kaila, 53, said: “He was a really good man, nice to everyone. He had a sense of humour, always joking. I’ll really miss him.” She added: “He used to walk his dog every day. He’d go to the park, he’d be calling Rocky.” A man who did not wish to be named said he was a fellow allotment user: “[Kohli] is a good friend of mine. Everybody called him the handyman, he was always pushing a barrow, a very handy man. “He was skinny, but he was fit. He’d go walk the dog in the park every day, he’d take his wife swimming. “Everybody round here loved him, everybody knew him. He was a nice bloke, a very nice bloke, I don’t know how anybody could hurt somebody like that. “I’ve known him for 40 years. Everything I can say about him is good, a very nice man, and his family. Just a very nice person, the best you can have.” Leicestershire police said it had voluntarily referred itself to the police watchdog, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), about the previous incident involving Kohli which was reported to them in July. During that incident it is alleged some of the comments made by the young people were racist. Asked if detectives were considering a racial motive as part of their murder investigation, a police spokesperson said: “We will be keeping an open mind, but establishing any motive for the assault will form part of inquiries. We are continuing to establish the full circumstances and cannot comment further at this time.” Police have said they are speaking to local people as part of their investigation and want to speak to anyone who was in the park or in the area of Bramble Way between 6pm and 6.45pm on Sunday evening. Det Insp Emma Matts, who is leading the murder investigation, said: “The circumstances surrounding Mr Kohli’s death are extremely tragic and upsetting not only for his family and friends but also the wider community. “We continue to offer support to the family through our family liaison officers and the local policing teams are in the area to provide reassurance and discuss any issues or concerns. The family are aware of the significant public and interest in the death of their loved one and would like to thank people for their kind words and sympathy. At this stage the family are asking for privacy at this extremely difficult time. “Our investigation into the assault on Mr Kohli remains ongoing. We continue to keep an open mind around the circumstances surrounding the incident as we work to establish what occurred in the park on Sunday evening. I would continue to urge anyone who can assist our investigation to come forward.” A spokesperson for the IOPC said: “We can confirm that we have received a referral from Leicestershire police in relation to this matter. We will carry out an assessment to decide what further action may be required from us.” Leicestershire Live quoted Kohli’s daughter as saying her father had been left seriously injured after a group of young people allegedly first pushed him to the ground and then attacked him. Speaking before her father died, the daughter said: “They pushed him, they kicked him in the neck, kicked him in the spine.” She said she had found her father lying on the ground: “He had been taking the dog for a walk. He was about 30 seconds away from getting home when he was attacked. He was lying under the tree and at first he was complaining about his neck and now he’s not able to move his legs. “We’ve lived here for 40 years and just recently there’s been a lot of antisocial behaviour, which has been reported to the police.”