In a chilling act of violence, a woman advocate was brutally attacked in Sanagav village of Beed District, India, after raising concerns about persistent noise pollution. The All India Lawyers’ Union (AILU), Maharashtra State, has strongly condemned the assault and demanded swift arrests, strict legal action, and stronger protections for legal professionals.
Advocate Gyaneshwari Anjan, a practicing lawyer at the Sessions Court, was allegedly beaten with sticks and iron rods by Sanagav’s village Sarpanch, Anant Anjan, and nine of his associates on April 14. The assault followed a dispute over high-decibel religious loudspeakers and flour mills operating near her home—sources of noise that reportedly aggravated her chronic migraines.
Despite initially receiving verbal assurances from the Sarpanch, Anjan was forced to lodge a formal police complaint at Yusuf-Wadgaon Police Station when no action was taken. Although the noise briefly ceased, tensions escalated when the Sarpanch allegedly confronted her at her home, demanding she “permit the religious rituals of the village to continue.”
What followed was a brutal mob-style attack: Anjan was forcibly dragged to a nearby field and violently assaulted. She sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized. Though she has since been discharged, her attackers remain at large, with no arrests reported as of April 18. Disturbingly, the accused have resumed operating the flour mills and are allegedly issuing fresh threats to Anjan’s family.
The AILU has expressed grave concern over the police’s inaction, calling the assault “a direct challenge to law and order.” In an official statement, AILU President Adv. Babasaheb Vavalkar and General Secretary Adv. Chandrakant Bojgar called the incident “utterly deplorable,” emphasising that Anjan was exercising her fundamental rights.
The lawyers’ union has demanded:
- Immediate arrest of all accused,
- A fair and time-bound police investigation,
- Enactment of a special law ensuring advocate protection,
- Enforcement of noise pollution laws with strict penalties.
The Union reminded that “lawyers are an integral part of the judicial system, and such an attack on an advocate is a direct challenge to law and order.” The Union has not only condemned the police inaction in dealing with the incident expeditiously but pointed out that such conduct raises serious concerns about the safety of advocates.
The case underscores a growing concern over the safety of legal professionals in rural India, particularly women, who face threats not just in courtrooms but also within their communities.
