UP Bar Council president shot dead by colleague, assailant tries to kill himself: Police

Uttar Pradesh Bar Council president Darvesh Singh was allegedly shot dead Wednesday in the court premises here by a lawyer who then tried to kill himself, police said. Singh, who was the first woman president of the Bar Council and elected to the post two days ago, had come for a visit to the Civil Court when she was attacked around 2.30 pm.

Agra City’s Additional Superintendent of Police Praveen Verma said she was shot thrice by lawyer Manish Sharma, who had been her long-time acquaintance. "After spraying three bullets on her, Sharma also shot himself," the official told PTI.

"Sharma is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital and is in a critical condition," he said. He said the pistol used by the lawyer is a licensed weapon and the police have taken possession of it.

Singh had come on her first visit to the Civil Court after her election, he said quoting eyewitnesses. At the ceremony in her honour, Sharma suddenly got up and opened fire on her, police said. Before anyone could react, he shot himself too.

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. Hari Shankar Singh will be the new president of the UP Bar Council.

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