Meerut, Feb. 11 -- A 45-year-old lawyer was shot dead inside the District Panchayat office in Rampur on Wednesday afternoon following a heated argument with a clerk, triggering chaos at the district hospital where the victim's relatives later staged a protest.

The deceased, identified as Farukh, was allegedly shot by District Panchayat clerk Asgar Ali after a confrontation inside the office premises.

According to police and family members, Farukh's wife, Gausia, also works as a clerk in the same office. She reportedly had a heated exchange with Asgar Ali. Following the argument, she called her husband to the office. Another confrontation broke out and soon turned into a physical clash.

Farukh's nephew, Kamran Khan, alleged that during ...