Bhopal, February 14 – A prominent civil lawyer was shot dead in broad daylight while heading to court in the Karera tehsil of Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, sending shockwaves through the local legal community and sparking widespread outrage among advocates.
The victim, identified as Sanjay Kumar Saxena, aged 57, was a well-known advocate practicing in the Karera civil court. He was attacked on Saturday morning near the Anand Sagar Temple on Siddhan Road.
Shivpuri District Superintendent of Police Aman Singh Rathore told the media that unidentified assailants opened fire indiscriminately on the advocate on a secluded stretch while he was on his way to work. "It appears to be a planned murder, which usually has a motive. The police are investigating the matter from all angles, and forensic experts are also examining the evidence," he said.
The advocate sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon examination.
The incident has triggered intense anger among lawyers in the region, who described it as a brazen attack on the legal profession.
"We have deployed additional security at the court premises and assigned the case to the concerned police stations for a comprehensive inquiry," the SP said.
Family members, including the deceased’s brother, Advocate Kuldeep Saxena, have leveled serious allegations linking the murder to a land dispute. They claimed that Sanjay Saxena had successfully represented one of his clients from Sigdaua village in a contentious property case and had secured a favorable verdict.
Following the verdict, the losing party allegedly harbored a personal grudge and issued repeated death threats, the family alleged. They further claimed that Sanjay Saxena refused to back down and continued his professional duties despite the warnings.
Advocate Kuldeep Saxena also alleged that the murder was orchestrated by individuals from Sigdaua village.
"Every angle is being probed, including the family's accusations against several individuals," the SP said, adding that "the real motive — whether linked to a land dispute, election rivalry, or something else — will emerge only after a detailed police investigation."