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Kasganj: Body of missing woman lawyer found in canal
On Wednesday, villagers alerted the police about a body found in the Rajpura canal. The police arrived and, after significant effort, recovered the body from the flowing water. T
AGRA: The body of a woman lawyer, 40, who practiced in the Kasganj court, was recovered from the Rajpura canal on Wednesday evening. Her husband identified the body, which was then sent for a post-mortem on Wednesday night, before being cremated on Thursday, police said.
The husband of the lawyer said that he had dropped her off at the Civil Court compound in Kasganj on Tuesday afternoon. When she did not return by 8 pm, and her phone was unreachable, he began searching for her and later informed the Kotwali police station.
On Wednesday, villagers alerted the police about a body found in the Rajpura canal. The police arrived and, after significant effort, recovered the body from the flowing water. The woman’s husband identified the body, and it was sent for post-mortem.
“Eight police teams are actively investigating the case, and footage from over 120 CCTV cameras has been reviewed to trace the movements of the woman lawyer,” said Kasganj superintendent of police Aparna Rajat Kaushik.
“Every standard protocol is being followed, and the post-mortem was conducted by a panel of doctors under videography, considering the sensitivity of the case. We are analysing the post-mortem report and exploring all possible angles and aspects of the case,” the SP said.
“The family, currently engaged in the cremation process, has yet to file a formal complaint. Once we receive the complaint, the case will be registered under the relevant sections,” the SP added.
Sources revealed that the body, when recovered from the canal, was swollen due to prolonged exposure to water. The clothes on the body were disoriented, and the face was difficult to recognize. The body had become entangled with pillars in the canal amidst the swift flow of water, with the swelling indicating that it had been submerged for some time.
Lawyers abstain from work, demand action
Lawyers in Kasganj court abstained from work on Thursday, protesting the suspicious death of a woman lawyer who had been missing since Tuesday. They also convened a meeting to condemn the incident.
In the morning, many lawyers attended the lawyer’s last rites but did not participate in court proceedings throughout the day.
Later, the lawyers blocked traffic on the Mathura-Bareilly highway, bringing it to a standstill. They also raised slogans and demanded swift resolution of the case.
Meanwhile, in Agra, lawyers gathered at the Bar Hall of the Agra Bar Association at 4 pm to express their concern and shock over the death. They passed a resolution calling for the early arrest of those responsible and threatened to boycott court proceedings if the case was not solved promptly.
Lawyers demanded a compensation of ₹50 lakh for the family of the deceased and stressed on the need for increased security measures, especially for women lawyers in court compounds. They also reminded authorities of the long-pending Advocate Protection Bill.
The United Bar Association of Agra urged the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh to raise the issue with the state government, stressing the urgent implementation of the Advocate Protection Bill.
In Etah, lawyers condemned the incident and also called for compensation for the lawyer’s family. Similar protests were held in Farrukhabad by the Bar Association of Fatehgarh and Farrukhabad, as well as the Adhivakta Sangh Fatehgarh-Farrukhabad.
