Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
A 46-year-old lawyer, who mostly fought cases related to the liquor mafia, was shot dead Monday by unidentified assailants in the Kuchaikot area of Gopalganj district.
Police said the incident took place around 10:15 am when advocate Rajesh Pandey was riding pillion on a motorcycle of another advocate and was headed to Gopalganj civil court.
Some unidentified assailants fired at Pandey from behind. After he fell off the bike, two more bullets were pumped into him and he succumbed to his injuries even before he could be taken to a hospital. Jitendra Choubey, who was driving the motorcycle, did not suffer any injury in the firing.
Pandey, who would mostly take up criminal and excise matters, had been unsuccessfully trying to get bails for some suspected liquor traders from Punjab and Haryana.
According to sources, he had allegedly received a threat over his inability to secure bails for his clients but no formal case was lodged. The source added that in November, unidentified gunmen had unsuccessfully attempted to kill him but even then, no case was filed.
A case of murder has been lodged at Kuchaikot police station. Gopalganj Superintendent of Police Anand Kumar said, “A special investigation team has been set up under Sadar sub-divisional police officer Sanjeev Kumar Singh. We have got some leads. The police will speak to the victim’s family and the advocate who had been driving the bike at the time of the incident.”
Gopalganj, which shares borders with Uttar Pradesh, had recently hit headlines for a hooch tragedy in which over 20 people had died after consuming illicit liquor. Since then, suspected liquor traders and suppliers have been under the police scanner in the district, a vulnerable point of smuggled liquor from Uttar Pradesh.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
