Ranchi: Lawyer who represented Richa Bharti against Quran distribution order shot dead, property dispute suspected.

Source – opindia.com

Ram Pravesh Singh, a 47-year-old lawyer in Ranchi was shot dead on Monday night in Ranchi. As per reports, the incident occurred in Road number 5 in Sarvodaya Nagar, under the Kanke police station limits.

In a CCTV footage that has been going viral on social media, Ram Pravesh Singh can be seen standing near his car, in his lawyer’s robes, when the assailant had approached him casually. The assailant was seen slowly and casually walking towards the lawyer and suddenly raising the gun he had kept hidden in his hands behind his back. Ram Pravesh Singh was shot dead from a point-blank range and the bullet had gone through his head, causing instant death.

He was taken to RIMS for treatment but the doctors there had declared him brought dead. The incident happened close to the lawyer’s house. Police have stated that Ram Pravesh Singh had a property dispute going on with a person named Chhotu Lakra regarding a plot of land in Misir Gonda. He had also registered an FIR against Chhotu Lakra on 23 October following a fight. The police have taken Lakra and his relative Ramesh into custody for interrogation.

Reports say the murderer and his associate had conducted a recce of the area around Singh’s residence. The bike-borne associate had helped the murderer escape after shooting Singh.

The lawyers of Ranchi Bar Association have severely condemned the brutal murder of a colleague. Kundan Prakash Singh, the General Secretary of Ranchi District Bar Association has stated that it is a cause of deep concern that a lawyer has been gunned down by criminals so daringly. He added that the crime shows the boldness of criminals and the anarchy. He had also emphasised on security for the lawyers stating that losing clients often consider the lawyer as their enemy.

The murder of a lawyer in the capital city so close to the assembly elections has created a stir in the region. The lawyers have called for a strike and have boycotted work on Tuesday, taking a silent march in the capital’s streets.

It is notable here that the deceased lawyer Ram Pravesh Singh had represented Ranchi girl Richa Bharti, who had been in news headlines after a Ranchi court had ordered her to distribute copies of the Quran over a complaint against one of her Facebook posts.

Richa Bharti had declined to distribute the Quran copies, saying it violates her rights to free speech and rights to religion. The case had created headlines across the nations, and lawyers of the Ranchi Bar Association, led by Kundan Prakash, had then taken out protests too, demanding the transfer of the judge Manish Kumar Singh, who had issued the order.

Following widespread outrage against such an order, the Ranchi court had finally modified the order. The case had created national headlines and had stirred many people to volunteer to contribute towards Richa’s legal expenses.