Partially burnt body of Patna High Court lawyer found at her Rajendra Nagar home in Bihar; probe underway

Patna, Feb 11 (IANS) The partially-burnt body of a woman lawyer practicing at the Patna High Court was found at her residence in Rajendra Nagar locality under Kadam Kuan police station area of Patna, Bihar on Wednesday, triggering panic in the area and raising concerns among members of the legal fraternity.

According to police, the 65-year-old prominent woman lawyer in Patna was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her residence. Her partially-burnt body was recovered from the two-storey house located on Rajendra Nagar Road No. 2.

The deceased has been identified as Dr. Indra Lakshmi, a practicing lawyer at the Patna High Court and Civil Court.

Dr. Lakshmi lived alone in the house as her husband, Amarendra Kumar, resides in Ranchi, Jharkhand, while her daughter lives in Bengaluru.

Both family members have been informed about the incident.

Kadam Kuan police station SHO said that tenants residing in the building noticed the partially burnt body inside the house on Wednesday morning and immediately alerted the police.

“On receiving information around 8 am, a police team reached the spot, cordoned off the area and began an investigation,” the SHO said.

A forensic science team has been called to the scene to collect evidence. Police said the case appears suspicious and is being investigated from all possible angles.

It is yet to be ascertained whether the death was accidental or the result of a planned crime.

Police are questioning tenants and nearby residents, and CCTV footage from surrounding areas is being examined to rule out any foul play.

The body has been sent to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for post-mortem examination, which will be conducted in the presence of family members.

Meanwhile, the incident has caused unease among lawyers, and there are apprehensions that civil court proceedings may be affected in view of the incident. The lawyers' association of Patna has demanded a thorough probe into this case.

Further investigation is underway.