Lawyer shot dead in MP's Shivpuri; kin allege land dispute

Bhopal: A 57-year-old lawyer was shot dead in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district on Saturday while on his way to court. The victim, Sanjay Kumar Saxena, a resident of Ghiriyali Mohalla in Purana Bazaar, was attacked near Anand Sagar Temple on Siddhan Road in Karaira. According to police, Saxena had left home on his motorcycle when unidentified assailants, allegedly lying in wait, opened fire. It is unclear whether the attackers were on foot or in a vehicle. He was found injured by another lawyer passing through the area and was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Family members alleged that the murder was linked to a long-standing land dispute in Sigdauwa village. They said Saxena had earlier represented Kishori Jatav in a land case that was decided in Jatav's favour, following which he allegedly received threats from the opposing side. Despite the threats, Saxena was representing another villager, Mithua Jatav, in a separate land dispute. The family further claimed that one of the accused, a local teacher, had pressured parties to withdraw from the case and had allegedly offered Rs 12 lakh to get Saxena killed. They also cited past tensions, including an electoral rivalry and the alleged destruction of Saxena's peanut crop last year, in connection with the dispute. Police have registered a case and launched a search for the accused. The body has been sent for postmortem. CCTV footage is being examined and mobile phone data analysed. Preliminary investigation suggests the attack was premeditated. The local Bar Association condemned the killing and warned of a work boycott on Monday and protest if the accused are not arrested soon.