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Updated: Jun 13, 2019 08:14 IST

The newly elected chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council, Darvesh Kumari Yadav, 36, was shot dead by a colleague in her chamber on the civil court premises on Wednesday, police said.

The colleague, Manish Babu Sharma, fired at her thrice after an altercation and then shot himself in the head. He is battling for life in hospital. The police have yet to ascertain the motive for the murder.

“Darvesh Kumari Yadav was shot by her colleague and representative Manish Babu Sharma. He shot at Darvesh thrice with his licensed revolver and then shot himself in the head,” said Ajay Anand, additional director general (ADG), Agra zone.

“Darvesh Yadav was rushed to hospital at Delhi Gate but was declared dead. The assailant lawyer, Manish Babu Sharma, is critical but undergoing treatment,” said Anand. “We are investigating the matter to find the motive behind the murder.”

The incident took place at about 3 pm on Wednesday when most lawyers had left the court because the practice is to hold morning court in May and June.

“The incident is very unfortunate and has shocked the lawyer fraternity but the exact reason for the murder is yet to be known,” said Durg Vijay Singh Bhaiiya, former secretary of the Greater Agra Bar Association.

Police officials, including ADG Agra Zone and SP city, reached the civil court premises and inspected the blood-stained room.

A forensic team was called in and samples were collected.

According to reports, a welcome programme was organised for Yadav by lawyers on Wednesday after she was elected chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council on Sunday.

After the programme, Yadav went to the chamber that she had been using for the past few months, which is owned by Arvind Mishra, a senior lawyer and former consultant to the Uttar Pradesh governor.

Earlier, she shared a chamber with Manish Babu Sharma, her colleague and long-time associate, but had shifted to Mishra’s chamber probably due to some differences with him.

As the lawyers present in the chamber were discussing the welcome programme, Sharma arrived there and had an altercation with those present. He then opened fire.

Both lawyers had worked together over a decade, their colleagues said. Darvesh Singh hailed from Etah and did her LLB from an Agra college. She did her LLM from Agra University and started practising as a lawyer in 2004.

Yadav was elected president of the Bar on June 9 at Prayagraj.

She was the first woman president of the Bar Council.

Yadav, who is from Etah, began practising in the Agra civil court in 2004.

She made headlines when she became a UP Bar Council member in 2012.

She rose to become vice chairperson in 2016 and then working president in 2017.

She became UP Bar Council member again this year and was elected chairperson last Sunday.

(With agency inputs)