Security guard kills lawyer over casteist slurs during New Year celebrations in Varanasi

Varanasi, January 1

A 36-year-old advocate was shot dead allegedly by a security guard for using casteist slurs during the New Year celebrations here, police said on Monday.

The incident took place late on Sunday night near the Tadikhana trisection under the Lalpur-Pandeypur police station area, they said.

Advocate Raghavendra Singh was celebrating the New Year party with his friends and employees in a lawn on Sunday night.

One of his friends, Gaurav Singh who runs a security company, was also present on the occasion, SHO of Lalpur-Pandeypur police station Manoj Kumar said.

During the party, Raghavendra Singh used some casteist words against security guard Hardendu Shekhar Tripathi, a resident of Nagwa who worked for Gaurav Singh.

This angered the guard who shot Raghavendra Singh with his licensed pistol, the SHO said.

An injured Raghavendra Singh was rushed to the trauma centre at the BHU by his friends, where doctors declared him dead.

Police have arrested the accused along with the weapon used in the crime, the SHO said, adding that police are investigating the matter.