[Shahjahanpur lawyer murder] UP Bar Council asks Bar Associations to abstain from judicial work on Wednesday

As a mark of protest against the killing of a lawyer inside the District Court Complex at Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh has asked lawyers of all the bar associations in the State to abstain from judicial work on October 20, Wednesday..The deceased, identified as Advocate Bhupendra Singh, was allegedly shot dead inside the court complex with a country-made firearm on the third floor of the court..The police arrested a fellow lawyer allegedly based on the CCTV footage recovered from the court. The victim and the accused were involved in a property dispute, and this old enmity is believed to be the motive behind the crime, reported The Print..In a letter to all Bar Associations in the State, the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh also said that it will ask government to provide financial assistance of ₹50 lakh to the family of the deceased advocate and a government job to one dependent of his family..Additionally, the Council will also request the Uttar Pradesh Government to consider implementation of Advocates Protection Act for the protection of advocates."That the State Government should be requested to implement Advocate Protection Act for the protection of advocates and financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh should be provided to the family of deceased Bhupendra Singh, Advocate, Shahjahanpur and one dependent of his family should be provided government job," the letter stated..Lastly, the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council has requested the State Government to take such measures so as to stop such criminal incidents."At the same time, it is also requested from the government that many people with criminal tendencies go to the court premises with arms, their entry should be strictly checked and the carrying of arms should be banned, so that such criminal incidents can be stopped. And advocates who are officers of the court can ensure participation in judicial work with fairness and ruthlessness in a fear-free environment," the letter said..In 2019, Uttar Pradesh state government counsel, Nutan Yadav was shot dead at her official residence in Etah.The same year, Darvesh Yadav, the first woman president of the Agra Bar Council, was shot dead inside her chamber in Agra court.Recently, Rohini district court complex in Delhi witnessed a shootout leading to the death of an accused gangster, Jitender Gogi and his assailants who were shot dead by the security personnel..[Read Letter]