Gonda: Hundreds of advocates staged a protest at the Collectorate and Civil Court premises on Friday, demanding the arrest of those named in an FIR concerning the alleged poisoning of advocate Aman Pandey. The lawyers abstained from judicial work and raised slogans against the police administration, alleging that political pressure had prevented effective action in the case.
The protesters marched to the Superintendent of Police’s office, where they staged a sit-in and submitted a memorandum to the Additional Superintendent of Police (West). They demanded an impartial investigation and the immediate arrest of the accused, warning that they would intensify their democratic protest if action was not taken. They said the next phase of their demonstration would be held at the office of the Inspector General of Police, Devipatan Range.
According to the memorandum, the incident took place around noon on July 24, 2026, when Pandey was allegedly called to the residence of Dinesh Shukla in Ranipurwa, Balmatthar area, under the jurisdiction of Parsapur police station. The complaint alleges that following a dispute, some individuals forcibly administered poison to him.
Pandey was initially treated at the Parsapur health facility before being shifted to the Gonda District Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was taken to O.N. Pandey Nursing Home and subsequently referred to Lucknow Medical College for further treatment.
An FIR was registered at Parsapur police station on August 4, 2026, under Crime No. 0358/2026, invoking Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The protesting lawyers alleged that despite the registration of the case, no named accused had been arrested and no effective action had been taken.
The memorandum also raised concerns over the safety of advocate Shivendra Mishra and his family. The lawyers alleged that Mishra and his family had been receiving threats in connection with an alleged attack on his journalist brother, Satyam Mishra. While arrests have reportedly been made in that case, which is now before the judicial process, the protesters demanded adequate protection for the family.
The demonstration was jointly led by Bar Association president Ravichandra Tripathi and Civil Bar Association president Vijay Prakash Tripathi. Bar Association general secretary Sunil Kumar Pandey and Civil Bar Association general secretary Gauri Shankar Chaturvedi jointly coordinated the programme.
Several former association presidents and hundreds of advocates participated in the protest, expressing concern over the alleged delay in action and calling for a fair investigation, accountability and protection for the lawyers and their families.
