Gopalganj, Jan. 18: An advocate on way to work at the civil court here was shot dead this morning, the daring daylight killing punching yet another hole in the government’s claims of susashan (good governance) and raising doubts about the ability of the administration to tackle lawlessness of the kind that had gripped Bihar during the nineties.

Two gun-toting criminals on a motorcycle pumped bullets into advocate Rajesh Giri (40) near Ahirauli bridge, 15km from the district headquarters and 200km northwest of Patna, around 9.30am, killing him on the spot.

Giri was on way to the Gopalganj civil court on his two-wheeler with his mother, Ram Kumari Devi, riding pillion. The assailants sped away towards Gopalganj town after killing Giri.

The slain advocate is the nephew of Tunna Giri, a businessman considered close to the jailed former MP of Siwan, Mohammad Shahbuddin. One of Rajesh Giri’s uncles, Yaduvansh Giri, is a senior Patna High Court advocate who pleads Shahabuddin’s cases. Yet another uncle, Bhanu Giri, is the public prosecutor in the Gopalganj civil court.

Civil court advocates, however, said Rajesh Giri was “apolitical” and described him as “well-mannered and suave”.

Police reached the spot and took the body to Gopalganj hospital for post-mortem but allegedly did not apprise the advocate’s family members, which angered villagers. They ransacked Gopalpur police station and beat up the lone chowkidar posted there.

Members of the district Bar association visited the morgue and took away the body to Maunia Chowk before putting up a roadblock.

The blockade was lifted after Gopalganj superintendent of police K.S. Anupam assured the advocates of speedy investigation.

The advocates boycotted work in protest against the murder. Bar association general secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak said they had submitted a memorandum to the district administration, demanding speedy trial of the case, security to the deceased’s family, appropriate compensation to the Giris and permitting arms licence to advocates.

Anupam, the district police chief, said: “We are probing the case from two angles — land dispute and political rivalry. Giri’s mother is a former mukhiya of Bhagwanpur village.”

For residents of Gopalganj, the killing has brought back chilling memories of the past. “After the jungle raj of criminals-turned-politicians, there was an era of calm and peace. But criminals of late seem to be hitting back, leading to a spurt in crime,” said a college teacher of Chhapra, recalling the days when doctors and lawyers were at the mercy of former MPs Shahbuddin and Prabhunath Singh.