lawyer dead, protest
Lawyers shout during a protest rally in New Delhi February 18, 2009. [Representational Image]Reuters

District lawyers went on protest after a lawyer's dead body was found within the premises of Tis Hazari Court in New Delhi's Jahangirpuri area on Friday morning.

The body of 40-year-old Rajeev Sharma was found near an eatery in T-Block lawyers' chamber within the premises with wounds on his head.

"Prima facie it seems that Sharma was murdered by using a sharp weapon," IANS quoted a police official as saying.

Sharma's body was found at around 10 am and was then sent to Subzi Mandi mortuary for post-mortem, according to The Times of India.

The deceased's colleagues have told the police that Sharma reached the court early on Friday and must have gone to the eatery for breakfast when he was attacked.

Suspecting a case of rivalry, police have registered a murder case and are checking the footage of the CCTV cameras installed in the complex.

"We have registered a case of murder and are looking for the assailant," North Delhi DCP Madhur Verma said.

In view of the murder, the district bar association has suspended proceedings in all the six district courts in Delhi for the day and called for a protest.

"City lawyers have decided to suspend all work on Friday due to the murder of advocate Sharma in the courts premises," RK Wadhwa, chairman of the coordination committee of bar associations of all district courts said.