Brother, three others arrested for murder of woman advocate in Moinabad

Moinabad police arrested four persons, including the brother of a woman advocate, for the brutal murder of G Swapna over a long-standing property dispute. The killing triggered protests by lawyers demanding strict punishment and better security for women advocates

Hyderabad: The Moinabad Police on Thursday arrested four persons, including the victim’s brother, in connection with the brutal murder of G Swapna, a 34-year-old woman advocate, allegedly over a long-standing property dispute.

The arrested persons are the victim’s brother G Raju and his associates E Sandeep, V Veeresham and K Shivalingam. Officials said the murder was pre-planned by Raju and executed with the help of the three associates.

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Swapna, a practising lawyer at the Chevella court, was allegedly killed during a dispute over four acres of land located in Survey No. 339 at Kethireddypally village in Moinabad on Wednesday morning.

According to police, Swapna had gone to the farmland to oversee land survey work when the accused intercepted her. The assailants first rammed a car into her and then attacked her with stones and wooden sticks. In a final act of brutality, they allegedly slit her throat with a sharp weapon, killing her on the spot. After committing the crime, the suspects fled in a car and a scooter.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the murder was triggered by a family dispute over ancestral property. Swapna and Raju had been at odds for several years over the division of agricultural land.

The Moinabad police are continuing the investigation to establish the complete sequence of events and any additional conspiracy involved. Police seized a car and scooter, along with mobile phones and the sickle used in the murder.

The shocking killing triggered widespread outrage among advocates. Lawyers boycotted court proceedings at Chevella and nearby courts and staged protests at the Moinabad police station, demanding stringent punishment for the accused and better security for women lawyers. Protests were also held by lawyers across various courts in the city on Thursday.