Uttar Pradesh: Lawyer shot dead in Shahjahanpur’s district court complex

The lawyer has been identified as Bhupendra Singh and his body was found on the third floor of the complex. A country made pistol was also spotted near the body.

Lucknow: In a shocking incident, a lawyer was allegedly shot dead inside a district court complex in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP). The reason behind the incident is yet to be ascertained.

The lawyer has been identified as Bhupendra Singh and his body was found on the third floor of the complex. A country made pistol was also spotted near the body.

According to reports, at around 11:45 pm, advocate Bhupendra Singh was shot dead in the ACJM office on the third floor of the court. A country made pistol was also spotted near the body.

“According to initial reports, it appears the man was alone. No other person was seen around him at the time of the incident. Forensic team is at work…Circumstances around killing unclear,” NDTV quoted S Anand, Superintendent of Police, Shahjahanpur as saying.

Heavy police forces were deployed to bring the situation following the attack under control as several lawyers, speaking to the media on the site, termed the incident as a huge lapse in security.

Terming the incident as "very sad and shameful", BSP chief Mayawati questioned the BJP government over the law and order situation in the state.

"The murder of a lawyer in the court premises of Shahjahanpur district of UP is very sad and shameful, which exposes the law and order situation in the BJP government here and the government's claims in this regard. Now finally the question arises that who is safe in UP? Government should pay proper attention to this," Ms Mayawati tweeted in Hindi shortly after the incident came to light.

Meanwhile, the Congress slammed the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

“A lawyer was killed inside a court complex in Shahjahanpur. In UP, police kill a businessman in a midnight raid, farmers are mowed down by a minister’s son, & lawyers are murdered. This is law & order under @myogiadityanath, who himself had more than 10 IPC sections against him!” tweeted Dr Shama Mohamed, national spokesperson of the Congress party.