Uttar Pradesh: Lawyer shot dead in Pratapgarh

A lawyer was shot dead by unidentified assailants here, police said today. Dhananjay Misra (45), former president of Lalganj Bar Association, was returning home along with his daughter when four motorcycle-borne assailants followed them and opened fire near Motheen village last evening.

As he fell on the road, the assailants, whose faces were covered, pumped bullets into his head and chest before fleeing, police said, adding that he was rushed to Lalganj Community Health Centre where doctors declared him dead. Enraged locals refused to hand over the body to the police and staged a protest demanding security and compensation for the family of the deceased. They were later pacified by officials and the body was sent for post mortem late in the night.